The One That Got Away
by enigma013
Summary: Kol was wicked. He liked to kill. Allowing a victim to survive had never really been an option: death was the thrill, the finale. However, when Elijah intervenes at the ball, one gets away. It starts a whole new game, with much higher stakes. Kol/OC
1. Chapter 1

_**The One That Got Away**_

_**Full Summary:**__ Kol was wicked. He liked to kill; he liked to savor the warm blood spilling down his throat after he tore into his victims. Allowing one to survive had never really been an option: death was the thrill, the finale. However, when Elijah intervenes, one gets away. It starts a whole new game, with much higher stakes. Kol/OC_

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Vampire Diaries.**

**A/N: Hey guys! So this stuck in my head for the longest time, and I had to write it out. This was originally intended to be a oneshot, but it turned into something else, I think. You'll just have to let me know if it's worth continuing or not. I left several elements for a plot open-ended, should I continue. Enjoy! (And this is my first OC that's 100% normal!)**

* * *

><p><strong>One<strong>

"I can't believe it," Kol said, his face set in a pinch of annoyance. "You've actually gone soft for a _human_. My God, he's just a _boy,_ Rebekah. Are you so thirsty for attention that you'll take it from the likes of him? A mere _peasant_?"

Rebekah's hands were planted on her hips, and she scowled at her brother's rant. Ambient music drifted up from the ballroom to the balcony where they stood squared off with one another. Guests milled about outside the French doors; one or two spared a curious glance in the siblings' direction, but otherwise paid them no mind. To them, it appeared that a heated discussion was taking place, not a dispute over the interruption of premeditated murder.

"Oh, _shut_ it," she spat, eyes narrowing. "One of us has to think—if you'd have killed him here, Mother would have your head! And not to mention _mine_!"

He scoffed. "As if that's why you backed out. He shows you the smallest pinch of kindness and you're weak for him. How _pathetic_."

"Kol," Rebekah growled, her features darkening into a look of loathing. "Say one more thing, and I swear I'll rip out your tongue."

Flippantly, Kol gave her a smirk. "My dear sister: she'll open her legs for any boy who happens to lend her a garment; she's so terribly _desperate_—"

He broke off in laughter as Rebekah lunged at him; he swiftly sidestepped her, and she surged past him until her hands came to rest upon the railing instead of curling around his throat, chest huffing with her incensed breath. Rounding on him once more, Rebekah made to lash out at him when Finn pushed through the doors, his expression hard, his shoulders pulled taut. Finn said nothing, for he didn't need to. Of all the siblings, he would be most willing to snitch on them to their mother, and his cold look said he would do just that if they didn't give up their antics.

The interruption irked Kol, who despised the broodiness each of his elder brothers seemed to possess, the incessant seriousness taken of every situation, the lack of _appreciation_ of what they were gifted with. Most of all, he loathed Klaus, but Finn came in close second these days. Before shoving past his brother, Kol spared one last taunting look at Rebekah, who seemed to barely restrain her fury.

Amicable chatter floated through the air, beleaguering Kol. The night had begun soundly, as he didn't mind the fawning gazes that trailed in his wake, thrown shyly from the female partygoers. But the stares hardly provided him with actual entertainment; no, Rebekah had deprived him of that upon capriciously changing her mind about the human boy's fate. How terribly he missed the feel of a pulse throbbing under his fingertips, slowly fading as he drained its owner's life; that beautiful crimson liquid, the invigorating power of deciding another's doom. Since waking to this time, he had been forced to consume the revolting substance his brothers associated as blood: cold, coagulated red liquid from a _bag._ The mere thought repulsed him. Who would ever demean themselves to such lifeless fruit? It was like eating the shell of the corpse itself. He certainly did not condone things with expiration dates. Had he not been under the constant vexing watch from either Finn or Elijah, he would have drained the entire town dry by now, his hunger was so insatiable.

Kol paused on the staircase, halfway down to the first floor. He could feel the prickling of his fangs urging him to feed, the desire hitting him with such a force, he was certain he couldn't avoid the impetus. Finn had already returned to the guests, and was now crossing the room below Kol, busy pleasing their mother's every whim. Elijah had been deep into his brooding as usual; something had obviously plagued his eldest brother's mind for days now, but Kol had hardly cared to ask. Whatever dramas Elijah engaged in was his own crisis to deal with. By listening in the conversations around him, Kol found Klaus attempting to sway the resolute mind of a woman, Caroline. He knew Rebekah would turn a blind eye, so long as she wasn't the target of consequence.

It seemed he finally had his window of opportunity to feed properly.

Kol was quick to mask his face in a look of boredom, even as a sinister sort of giddiness elated him, being able to hunt once more. He sauntered through throngs of people until the French doors leading to the gardens were before him. Though the night had a biting chill to it, couples strolled on the grounds, arm in arm, seemingly giving one another distance for their own privacy. Perfect.

The frosty air had no affect on him whatsoever; vampires were more susceptible to heat than cold. With soundless footsteps, he trod forward onto a pathway headed down slope, to where he knew quite a spectacle of a fountain was located among the dense shrubbery. The mansion and the grounds were no less than lavish; Niklaus had many deterrents, but his taste was impeccable. Kol hardly paid his surroundings any mind. His attention was snared elsewhere.

The presence of couples dwindled down as he continued forward, through the maze of flora. Taking two as his victims tonight, those that were lovers, thrilled him; if his way was had, he'd feed until the hunger that seared his fangs mitigated into nothing more than a dulled satisfaction. He had no care for the consequence, only the ever present reminder of time—such little time he had, with his more craven siblings distracted so briefly.

A soft, trilling laugh met his ears from just a small distance ahead, at the fountain. His pace hastened at the wet throbbing of her heartbeat.

"So you're glad you came, then?" she directed her question to another, whose heartbeat Kol could hear in her general direction. He barely heard her words. If her throat was as soft as her voice, he would revel in sinking his teeth into her flesh, drawing out her life-force. Blood rushed forth into his eyes at the thought as gorged veins rose beneath his skin. His fangs slid down and pressed into his bottom lip; the stinging pain didn't even register, he was so enraptured in his impending kill.

"Yeah, I guess so. I mean, she seems sweet."

Kol stopped in place, rocking forward on his feet. The accompanying voice belonged to none other than Matt, the lowly peasant his sister fancied. The insignificant boy that he had first intended to kill. Kol was at the fountain, now, a good ten feet away, hidden in the tresses of a shadow. He paused a moment, listening intently, calculating their every move.

"A vampire? Sweet?" The girl, a dark-haired little bird, laughed again. Her profile was to Kol; she wore a pale lavender dress, accentuating her fair skin. From this distance, he could see the pulse at her throat; his bloodlust urged him to bite her _now_, but forethought held him back a moment longer. "That seems a little unlikely. Then again, there's Caroline."

Matt openly cringed. "Right. Caroline."

"Oh—Matt," she frowned, contrite. "I'm sorry. Back to the topic," she hastened, "do you really see yourself _dating_ her? Rebekah, I mean."

Shrugging, Matt trailed his eyes over the fountain before them, his expression conflicting. "I don't know," he sighed. When his eyes returned to the girl, he poked her in the ribs playfully with a boyish grin, eliciting a squeal of delight from her. "Why? You jealous, Alex?"

"No!" she giggled, swatting his hand away. "I'm just looking out for you. That's why you brought me, right?"

"Right," Matt agreed, his hands tucked into his pockets as he swayed back and forth on his feet, his pale blonde hair awash in moonlight. "But…" he gave her a smile, leaning towards the pathway to the mansion eagerly.

The girl waved a hand, her smile never faltering. "Oh, go on ahead. Spend time with your _vampire_ girlfriend. I'm just gonna stay out here a little longer."

"You sure you'll be all right? Want my jacket?" He proffered his garment, as he had for Rebekah, but the girl shook her head as she rubbed at her arms.

"I'll only be a few minutes. Besides, you need to look _dashing_," she grinned, ushering him off.

He paused before stepping away, frowning. "Your brother is gonna kill me if I leave you out here, you know."

Rolling her eyes, she laughed. "Then don't tell him, silly. I'll be _right_ in. Promise."

Matt, reassured, left without further protest, an airy smile on his lips; he spared a few glances back at the little bird before he disappeared.

Kol's lips curved into a wicked grin. Maybe the peasant boy was off limits, but his dear little friend wasn't. Who better to victimize than her?

A more perfect opportunity couldn't have presented itself. She stood alone, now, gazing above at the stars shimmering against the velvet black sky. Kol stepped out of the shadows, his countenance once more humanlike and handsome.

"Matt, I told you to—oh," she stopped short upon seeing Kol, surprised, but otherwise unsuspecting. "Sorry, I thought you were someone else." She squinted her eyes, studying him perplexedly before a darling little blush blossomed on her cheeks, and she glanced away bashfully. "Did I see you during the toast? (I saw you during the toast, didn't I?)"

Kol smiled. He could examine her face fully now; she was not the prettiest girl at the gala by far, but there was a certain charm to her, a certain luminosity and innocence that made her much more mouthwatering, pretty.

"Indeed, you did," he said smoothly, taking her warm hand and brushing his lips on it, lingering a moment as he inhaled the scent of her sweet blood. She blushed deeper. "Kol Mikaelson. And who might you be, little bird?"

She blinked, her chartreuse green eyes vivid in the moonlight; she pulled her hand back, though not unkindly. "Alex," she stammered her name, momentarily disarmed. Her wits amassed once more, and she relaxed. "Alex Heart."

"How apt," he commented amusedly, raising an elegant eyebrow. An impish look overtook his features. "Were you stargazing, Miss Heart? I'm afraid there's not much else to appreciate out here. Except myself, of course."

She gave him a shy smile, but otherwise wasn't overly charmed. "I know it's probably rude to leave the ball—I just needed some fresh air," she made a haphazard attempt to assuage whatever horrific thoughts he might be thinking of her. She had relaxed considerably, but she was still tense. It occurred to her that he was a vampire—an _Original_ vampire, the ones Matt always criticized—so he may be more likely to be offended. However, the crinkle at his eyes and the way in which he looked at her said otherwise.

"As did I," he said, the smile still playing at his lips. "It gets a bit stuffy in there, wouldn't you agree? The company can become quite… lifeless." He smirked to himself.

Alex raised her eyebrows, ignorant of his last remark. "You're _bored_?"

Kol laughed. It surprised himself marginally, to hear the sound escape him after so long. But the truly horrified look on this naïve girl's face mustered the reaction. How little experience she had in the world; how little she would have before she died. "Isn't that why you're out here?" he countered lightly, taking a calculating step backwards as his eyes remained trained on her.

"No," she said with certainty before hesitating. "Well, yes. But the party isn't boring. It's…" her eyes trailed over the twinkling lights that adorned even the shrubberies, like a child gazing upon a magic trick. "Enchanting. Much better than all the Lockwood parties." She looked back to him, almost timidly, realizing her company once more. A God-knows-_how -_many year old vampire would doubtfully feel the same as she would about such a trivial thing; surely he'd had his fair amount of experience regarding magnificent galas.

Kol couldn't help but gaze raptly at his victim, her creamy skin, the way she trembled under his stare. Under normal circumstances, he would enjoy her fear. But he could lose his meal should a word of protest pass her lips. She looked away from him at last, rubbing her arms and staring with uncertainty at the ground, the blush still augmenting her cheeks. Kol shrugged his jacket from his shoulders and draped it over her, earning himself a grateful look and a now fully unwound prey. She thanked him graciously.

He took a moment to study the stars, letting her consider him just the same. It never hurt, having an admirer; or really, to admire something before death.

"So you were stargazing, were you?" he asked, feigning interest. She smiled fondly at the sky above them, giving him a view of her precious throat. His hunger flared inside him, but he wasn't finished playing with her. He despised Elijah and Finn for their watchfulness; if not for that, he could wholly enjoy this.

Gracefully, he stepped up behind her, turning her fully the other direction. She tensed at his touch, his proximity, but didn't dare stray. He seemed to be a gentleman, after all.

"Have you ever heard the tale of Andromeda?" he asked absently, brushing her long dark hair to one side, exposing her throat further. Her heartbeat quickened, a delicious sound.

"No," she breathed, bordering terror and the smallest, guiltiest pinch of excitement as his breath tickled her neck.

Kol pointed ahead of them, to a string of constellations. "In those stars, there," he said, watching as she inclined her head to just the right angle. He heart continued to spike, and he couldn't restrain his thirst any longer, he couldn't enjoy the game when his fangs ached for flesh and blood.

Blood stained his eyes once more as his fangs slid forth, swift and keen. His hands grasped her hips, holding her close. A gasp escaped her lips. She was twisting her head to look at him, but his mouth was already on her throat, his fangs pressing into her soft, sweet skin before puncturing it.

Alex writhed in his arms, horrified by the turn in events. Screams fell dead in her throat, as she was too shocked to make a sound. Kol held her tightly pressed to his body, his hold unrelenting. Her hot blood flowed into his mouth, relieving his aching need for something _living_, something fresh. He nearly moaned at the euphoric sensation, his eyelids fluttering; he had been dead, tucked away inside a box for a century without a drop of blood, and this was the sweetest fruit he ever tasted. His grip tightened on her, and there was no question in whether he would drain her dry or not—never did he leave a survivor. Death was the finale, for he could feel the moment when the very life slipped away from them, slipped through his fingers like water and wind.

A meager second passed before Kol was hit solidly, torn away from his pretty little prey and pinned to the ground. Elijah stared down at him icily, his mouth a pressing line.

"Brother," Kol greeted blithely; blood was smeared across his chin, staining his lips red. Angry he was at the interruption—_twice_ in one night, now—but his eldest brother's fury more than satisfied him. "You need only ask to share."

Elijah's looked hardened. He curled his fingers around Kol's throat, effortlessly picked him off the ground and set him on his feet. He didn't release his grip. The look in Elijah's eyes was more than coldness—Kol spotted the ever-present disappointment Elijah carried whenever in his company. He smirked.

"Go clean yourself up," Elijah said at last, releasing Kol with a slight distasteful shove. His eyes landed on the small girl cowering several feet away from them, a hand pressed to the wound on her neck, her eyes wide and terrified. "Before you make a mess of things any further."

"I'm not quite finished yet." Kol's tone was edged with razors, his eyes narrowing. "In fact, Miss Heart and I were only getting started." Alex backed up absently, still in shock; their words barely registered with her.

"Do not dispute me, Kol," Elijah gritted.

Kol stepped up to Elijah, meeting his brother's cool stare with one of his one. "Do not make me out to be like you, Elijah. I embrace what I am, and having Mother back does not change that."

Footsteps reached the vampires' ears, quick and concerned. Kol's smug smile returned.

Matt appeared, walking purposely towards Alex, his face awash with relief. "Alex, there you are. You said you'd only be a minute—"Upon noticing the vampires' presence, he stopped dead in his tracks. Confusion crossed his features as he looked from one to the other, taking in Kol's blood stained face with dawning horror. "What's going on?" He looked back to Alex, catching sight of wet blood sticking to her fingers where she grasped her neck. Instantly, he was by her side, pulling her hand back to examine the wound. His face contorted in anger; two large puncture marks drizzled with crimson, trickling down into the black collar of a tailcoat she held close to her body, like a shield. "Alex, what happened?"

"I—he—"she stammered, her bottom lip trembling. She bit it to hold back any tears as reality crashed in front of her. She shook her head, holding fast onto Matt.

Matt could put it together. He rounded on Kol and Elijah, holding Alex protectively behind him. "You _bit_ her," he accused Kol, a heavy undercurrent of fury in his tone, laced with disbelief. "What the hell is wrong with you? What the _hell_, man?"

Kol's eyes twinkled with amusement. Elijah pushed him back, a deep frown on his lips. Volunteering his own blood would simply agitate the boy more, he knew. But she was a friend of the Salvatores; the situation was salvageable if she could be healed promptly. "You should take her back inside," he advised gravely, brow furrowed.

Matt was incensed, but he knew better to quarrel with a vampire. Two vampires. Pulling Alex back towards the mansion, he gave Kol one last scorching stare. "Don't ever come near her again," he spat.

Kol stared after her retreating figure, his smugness subsiding as agitation burned within him. He licked his lips, still covered in her sweet, piquant blood, a weighty reminder of his hunger. No one escaped him. He would have her yet. It was his game to commence, and he never lost. He never let them get away.

* * *

><p>Matt pulled Alex inside, slipping through the mingling circles of people cautiously. He had a grip on her waist, nearly dragging her as she continued to emerge from stupor and her condition continued to exacerbate. Across the room, he caught sight of Elena and the Salvatores. That wasn't an option, at the moment. After everything he'd done to protect Alex from the supernatural, they'd still gotten hold of her. He'd be damned if he asked for the Salvatore brothers' help.<p>

Mostly, he was keeping an eye out for Alex's brother. Luck had at least granted them the tailcoat swathed over her shoulders, beneficially concealing her neck wound. He successfully maneuvered her through gaudily decorated hallways until reaching an empty study without any sighting of him. After shutting the door behind him, he ushered her to sit on a couch and kneeled before her. Once more, he pulled her hand from the bite mark, growing angry all over when he pictured the loathing Original leeching her blood.

Alex caught sight of herself in a mirror across the room and whimpered. She looked sickly white, her blood starkly contrasting with her skin; a creature extracted from a horror movie. Her stomach churned.

"Alex," Matt said soothingly, tucking her hair behind her ears, holding her gaze. "It's okay. You're okay now."

She nodded as a tear slipped down her cheek. Quickly, she wiped it away, making an effort to slow her breathing. "How bad?" she asked after a few moments.

She didn't need to elaborate. He ran his finger gently around the puncture marks; it came back coated in blood. "Not so bad," he assured her.

"That's exactly what I'd tell you," she joked half-heartedly, even as tears glimmered in her eyes. She managed a small, contrite smile, breaking his heart further. He put her in this position, and _she_ was trying to comfort _him, _as she bled more profusely than before.

Matt hastened to the desk across the room, rummaging through its contents for something to staunch the blood, and Alex watched him all the while. The drawers were utterly empty, almost unnervingly devoid of a single item or tool. With contempt, he slammed one shut and swiveled around to push through a door companioned to this room. He didn't have to look far. Upon a coffee table rested a hand towel, folded with a staged appearance, as if it had placed there for his convenience. Matt had no doubt it had been, but he didn't care to consider it further.

After snatching it up and returning, he replaced Alex's hand with it. Now he had to figure out how to get her out of here and to a doctor. An ambulance was out of the question; she would protest to no end, and her brother would certainly discover it. As much as he would love to make a scene for the Originals to deal with, he wasn't going to put Alex in that position again.

Meredith Fell came to mind instantly. More and more often, she and Rick met up at the Grille. She could be discrete. Now he just had to carry Alex out to the truck; considering her blood loss, she probably wouldn't be steady on her feet.

"Matt," Alex spoke up upon seeing the contemplative look on his face, looking rueful herself, "you've already done so much. I can handle it from here."

He looked at her incredulously. "I'm _not_ leaving you, okay? Don't be ridiculous. I'm gonna take you to Doctor Fell. Do you think you can stand?"

Alex frowned a moment, prepared to argue her bearing, but Matt wasn't easily swayed to simply let things go. Giving a nod, she braced herself to stand. He wrapped an arm around her waist to aid her when the door heaved open.

Rebekah stopped in the doorway, her countenance frozen in a look of surprise, taking in Matt and Alex's intimate position, before twisting into spite. Her eyes lasered into Matt's, who looked like he'd forgotten all about his date.

"Rebekah," he managed, his mind tugging him in separate ways: tend to his best friend or placate the vampire. The former ensnared him, and his momentary shock abated. "Is there a quick way out of here we can take to my car?"

His absorption in the girl in his arms was like wind to ashes, further incensing the blonde Original. The sharp smell of blood embalmed the air. "Do I look like a guide to you?" she snarled, cocking her hip. "God, are _all_ men deceitful pigs, or is it just the men in _this_ town? You'd think a millennia was enough for your kind to evolve into something _decent!"_

Matt blinked at her, taken aback by the sudden fit of rage. Alex, though sluggish in her current predicament, looked between the two blondes dubiously before stopping on Matt, murmuring, "Is this the same sweet vampire you were talking about earlier?"

Rebekah's fury was slightly placated by this comment; a look of marvel superimposed upon her furrowed brow. "You said that?"

"Yes," Matt stammered, confounded, as he always was, by the fickle change in mood. _Women_. "But Alex won't stop bleeding, and she needs to see a doctor, Rebekah. I have to get her out of here."

Rebekah's eyes narrowed upon refocusing on Alex, then dropped to her neck where she knew the girl's blood had been freshly spilled. The blood was potent. "You were bit." It was a statement rather than a question, an indifferent sentence.

"By your brother," Matt said, his jaw clenching, but he remained controlled. "Kol."

The vampire's hostility recoiled from this realization. She hid her unease, though it came through in her voice. "Kol did this? When?"

"Like, five minutes ago," Alex said tiredly.

"Will you help me?" Matt implored of Rebekah, adjusting his hold on Alex. "She needs help _now_."

"My blood should do the trick," Rebekah said casually, approaching the human girl. "A sip's all it takes."

Matt unconsciously took a small step back, shielding Alex protectively. "No," he said. "No vampire blood. She needs a doctor."

"But—"Rebekah began to protest.

"Rebekah," he stressed her name, "Is there a quick way out?"

She fell into silence before nodding, gesturing at the door leading to the room in which the towel had been placed. "Through there. There's a side entrance. I'll show you." She strode to the door and just barely opened it when voices came through from the other side, falling on startled ears.

"I told you, James, the situation is being handled," Mayor Lockwood said, sounding agitated. Rebekah stopped, leaving the door open a gap. Both Matt and Alex's ears perked up upon hearing Alex's brother's name.

"How can you say that?" James refuted heatedly. "I don't think you even know what the situation is. The entire Council's in the dark."

"I know more than you think," the mayor said in a controlled tone. "The Council doesn't need to concern itself with this when we already have a serial killer on the loose. Sheriff Forbes has her hands full, and unless there's anything you can do about that, I suggest you leave well enough alone."

Alex had edged up to the door beside Rebekah, bracing herself on the doorjamb. Through the open crack, she could see her brother, who had been facing a window, round on the mayor, his nostrils flaring. "I have my sister to look after. I'm not gonna leave this alone when it could threaten her, or anyone in this town for that matter. It's bad enough you're welcoming these vampires when we're supposed to be _fighting_ them. You even let Damon Salvatore remain on the Council, like he's not the very monster we're supposed to destroy! But at least I know where I stand with that. Whatever you're hiding is bound to endanger someone, Carol."

Mayor Lockwood looked ruffled by his words, apprehension clearly etched on her face. Then she pushed back her shoulders and gave James a cool look. "This is neither the time nor place to have this discussion, James. We're through for the night." Leaving him with that, she marched to another door on the far left, slipping back out to the party. James stared at the closed door a moment, his dark eyes slit into a scathing look. A moment later, he, too, returned to the party, oblivious to his eavesdroppers.

Had Alex not already been exceedingly lacking in blood, the color would have drained from her face at the silence that ensued. It was bad enough that her brother was a Council member, but now she had to worry over him partaking in a perilous investigation regarding the mayor's secret affairs. And whatever the mayor deemed necessary to keep secret could only be terrible, especially given the current circumstances. She would normally feel guilty for her actions—eavesdropping on a private conversation—but her worry prevailed.

"Alex…" Matt said, giving her a reluctant look. His voice said all she needed to know—whatever James was up to worried him, too, but it wasn't a subject that deserved their attention at the moment. His eyes fell to her neck, where blood began to crust on the tailcoat's collar. "We should go."

They followed Rebekah out a side entrance, where they found themselves weaving through cars that made up the vast makeshift parking lot until they reached Matt's beat-up truck. By this time, Alex's eyelids began to droop as her mind urged her to sleep; Matt had to lift her into the passenger seat himself and buckle her in. He uttered a fervent goodbye to Rebekah, who stood off to the side with a desultory look, watching him drive away, a silent protest on her lips.

"Alex," Matt said in alarm, shaking her awake. "Alex, keep your eyes open." He broke the speed limit, rocketing down each street until he reached the Gilbert house and parked behind another, unfamiliar car. The previous day, he'd overheard Alaric and Meredith discussing their plans over lunch, and knew that the pair would be here.

In a flash, he was out of his seat and Alex was cradled in his arms, her head lolling back like a ragdoll. He pounded a fist on the door until Alaric opened it, startled. He stared down at Alex uncomprehendingly before looking up.

"Matt—"

"Where's Doctor Fell?" Matt asked, pushing inside the house. His eyes perused the living room wildly, bright and avid. Meredith emerged from the kitchen, taking cautious steps towards the frenetic high school boy as she absorbed the scene before her. Matt quickly intimated what had happened with Kol after resting Alex upon the couch, leaving her to Meredith's devices. Alex was stirring, in a transient realm between wakefulness and dreams.

"Rick, there's a medical bag out in my car," Meredith instructed calmly. Her composed demeanor instilled itself in Matt, who finally sat and took a well-deserved breath. "She's lost a lot of blood, but she'll be fine. Bites aren't usually that bad. How long ago did you say this was?"

"Only fifteen minutes," Matt said, pulling at a loose thread in the hem of his jacket.

Meredith nodded expectantly and iterated a piece of information regarding why the wound was still bleeding: Kol had struck an artery, however minimally. Alaric returned with a black bag in hand, passing it to her. She unzipped it and pulled out a syringe filled with crimson, hovering over the vein in Alex's arm. Matt grabbed her wrist just before Meredith plunged it in.

"Stop!" he said. "No vampire blood. Don't you remember what happened to Caroline's dad?"

Meredith pursed her lips. "Alex is safe here. That's not gonna happen again."

"Because I won't _let_ it happen. No vampire blood. Can't you just stop the bleeding?"

"The vampire blood would speed up the healing process," Meredith explained. "If I don't use it, then I'll need to start her on an IV."

"She won't go to the hospital," Matt said. "It'll only make things worse. She's deathly afraid of all that stuff." After maintaining his case for a minute longer, Matt eventually got Meredith to agree to no hospital; she started an IV there in the Gilbert living room and bandaged Alex's neck wound.

An hour passed before Meredith cleared them to leave. Matt was driving home with Alex tucked in the small backseat when her phone rang from her clutch, playing Beethoven's Fifth Symphony. Taking his eyes off the road momentarily, he dug through the small bag before retrieving it. The caller ID read James.

"James," Matt answered, trying his best to sound collected. "I was just about to call you."

"Is Alex with you?" James questioned immediately, worry carried in his voice. "I've looked all over for her, but she isn't here anymore. I was gonna take her home."

"She's with me. She was tired and said she wanted to crash at my place, since you have an early day tomorrow. Didn't want to bother you."

James was relieved. "Okay… just get her back tomorrow in one piece, all right?" He paused, letting out a shaky breath. "It's been a crazy night."

In the rearview mirror, Matt watched Alex writhe in her sleep. "Tell me about it."

The rest of the night plagued her with dreams of a dark-haired vampire pressing his lips to her throat, scraping his teeth against her skin, causing the pleasure-pain sensation to torment her overwhelmingly, leaving one name resonating in her mind:

Kol.

* * *

><p><strong>So what did you guys think? Is it worth continuing? Let me know!<strong>


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Vampire Diaries. **

**A/N: Hey guys! Thank you so much for the reviews, they mean so much! If I haven't given you a reply yet, I will soon. Just wanted you to know how much I appreciate it! So here's the next chapter. I'd really like to continue with this story. (: Also, you need to know: Esther did **_**not**_** link the Originals together.**

* * *

><p><strong>Two<strong>

Something strange was plastered to Alex's neck, sticking to her with its cool tendrils, rendering her head immobile for the first few seconds of her awakening. She felt stiff, like she hadn't moved for hours. Slowly, she lifted her hand. It was met with the soft linen of a bandage and a string of memories to accompany it, including those of her dreams.

_Kol_.

The thought immediately repulsed her; in fact, she revolted herself. How could her mind entertain such thoughts of Kol after he attacked her, after what he did? Sure, she first considered him to be a gentleman—it very possibly could have been the undeniable resemblance between him and Elijah, who she had heard on more than one occasion to be considered quite noble in manner—but even the Kol that had starred in her dreams proved otherwise. Which was wrong. Terribly wrong.

She flung the sheets aside with an exasperated huff and sat up on the edge of the bed. Immediately, she regretted this action when the room started spinning and she felt light-headed. Blood loss. Looking down, she realized she still wore her lilac dress; it proved to be quite an amazing feat simply to be capable of sleeping so long in it, since it was so uncomfortable.

Matt must have carried her into Vicki's room to sleep last night. The blue curtains were drawn, letting in only chinks of mid-afternoon sunlight. Alex had slept late, induced by the severe blood loss and the wearying events of the previous night. All of Vicki's things lay exactly where she had left them almost two years ago, a sad reminder of her absence and the loss Matt, especially, had suffered. Really, it sort of marked the beginning of all these vampire problems. Poor Vicki.

Vaguely, Alex remembered seeing Meredith Fell, Rebekah, and her history teacher, Alaric. Maybe not in that order. Something about her brother, James, probed in her mind as well, but she couldn't recall specifics; her mind chased after the memory, but it continued to elude her.

Paper crinkled under her leg as she shifted on the mattress: she sat on a note.

_Alex— Couldn't miss work today. Told your brother you stayed over. Take it easy and leave the bandage on or I'll make you go to the hospital. No joke. –Matt_

After all that had happened, Matt still brought a smile to her face. Sure, it was probably wise to take the hospital-threat seriously if she wanted to avoid it at all costs, but even as he had gone through hell and back these past two years amidst the supernatural community, he still remained himself.

The smile that lit up her face diminished when she caught sight of a black tailcoat folded over the back of Vicki's vanity chair. _Kol's_ tailcoat, the one he gave her because she'd been cold. She thought he was so chivalrous then—to think, _chivalrous_! And the next moment, he'd _bit_ her. Perhaps what surprised Alex the most was the fact that she let her guard down around a vampire, something so atypical of her usual prudence and judgment. Surely the entire situation could have been avoided if she had left once he arrived.

Seeing a symbol of her foolishness irked her to no end. She wanted to burn the wretched thing, but knew that would be stooping to juvenile whim. No, she would ask Matt what to do with it.

Alex showered and changed into a casual dress and jacket from Vicki's closet, knowing in advance that Matt wouldn't mind. She stopped in front of the mirror, cringing at the bandage on her neck. It wasn't as large as she initially guessed, and luckily it blended quite well with her fair skin tone; however, she could _feel_ Kol's lips on her neck, his teeth in her flesh, how warm his body was pressed behind her. A shiver crept up her spine, and she had to grip the edge of the counter and force herself to breathe. It was strange and unwelcome, this effect he was having on her.

Alex snatched up Kol's jacket and headed out of the house. It was pinched between two fingers like she was holding some loathsome foreign object she didn't dare make full contact with; she decidedly ignored the fact that she had basically snuggled into it the night before. The black material hid the blood she knew coated it, which was fortunate, considering she was walking to a public establishment with it in hand. Matt's truck was gone, of course, and her car was at home. She didn't dare call James to pick her up—not only would he freak out over the bandage and probably try to track Kol down and stake him, but the elusive memory from last night nagged at her.

It didn't take long to arrive at the Mystic Grille. It was busy—the usual crowd was present, along with a few more unfamiliar faces. Alex deigned to finally tuck the jacket under her arm when she walked in, not wanting to draw attention to it. She caught sight of Matt bussing a table on the far side of the room and sat at an empty stool at the bar to wait, settling the jacket on her lap. Somehow, it still held a heavy musky scent, a pleasant aroma. Ugh, it even _smelled_ like him. She buried her face in her hands, just wanting to be rid of the loathsome thing.

"Yeah, I'll see you later," Alex heard a familiar voice say. She lifted her head when Mr. Saltzman stopped beside her, looking surprised. "Alex," he said, clearly concerned. "How are you feeling?"

Blinking a moment, Alex realized her bad luck: Damon Salvatore was seated not two stools down, wearing his characteristic smirk, a drink in hand. It wasn't even four o'clock yet, and that wasn't very surprising.

Alex tried ducking her head from view, using her history teacher as a block. The one person she knew who would willingly reside in Damon's presence stood before her, and even he didn't look very happy.

Giving Alaric a wavering smile, she nodded. "I'm better. Thanks for the help last night."

"No problem," he said genuinely, hesitating a moment. He seemed to want to question her further, but thought better of it. "I'll see you in class." He departed, leaving her staring helplessly at the elder Salvatore brother.

Maybe it was emanating from his demeanor, or maybe Alex was imagining it, but Damon seemed more… unpleasant than usual. Increasingly antagonistic.

"Well, if it isn't little Miss Lonely Heart," he drawled as his eyes roamed over her figure intrusively. They stopped at her bandage, and he quirked a dark eyebrow. "Who took a bite outta you?"

Alex ground her teeth together. Leave it to Damon Salvatore impair her day further. "Not now, Damon," she said wearily. Glancing over her shoulder hopefully, she was disappointed to find that Matt disappeared into the kitchen. Help would not arrive just yet, which was enough to drive her mad.

Damon shifted to the chair beside her, encroaching on her personal space; apparently, he didn't get that his presence was unwelcome, or more likely, didn't care. "Someone's grouchy. I take it you didn't volunteer to become someone's personal chew toy."

"Leave her alone, Damon," Matt said, coming up behind them with a dishrag in hand. There was a deep frown on his face as he appraised the vampire.

Damon's smirk grew. "Sure thing, lover boy," he said flippantly. He downed the rest of his drink and slid away from the bar, but not before winking at Alex. "By the way, tell your brother to back off. Wouldn't want anyone to get hurt, now, would we?" Leaving the threat hanging in the air, he sauntered away without a second glance back.

Alex blinked after him, the horrid garment on her lap momentarily forgotten. "So I wasn't just imagining something happening with James last night?" she asked dubiously.

Matt shook his head, contrite. "Don't you remember?"

"Not a whole lot. I was pretty out of it after… you know." She looked down abashedly, rubbing at the bandage. Blood rose to her cheeks. How could Matt even bear to look at her? She felt completely stupid for what happened.

Taking the seat Damon vacated, Matt inspected her coloring. She wasn't as pale as the night before, which was a good sign. "How do you feel?"

Alex shrugged. "Fine," she said. "What happened with James?"

"We overheard him and the Mayor getting into it," he said, and went on to explain the night's events, after a precautionary glance around the Grille. "I don't know how Damon fits into it, though," he finished.

Sighing, Alex ran her fingers through her hair, resting her elbows on the bar. The weight of Kol's jacket shifted in her lap, returning her attention to it. She scowled, lifting it like a detective would hold a piece of evidence. "What should I do with this?"

Matt's eyebrows rose, taking in the article of clothing. "Whose is it?"

"Kol's."

She didn't have to say more: Matt's eyes darkened immediately, his thoughts returning to finding Alex bleeding and trembling in the Original's garden. A muscle jumped in his jaw. "Burn it," he said scornfully, unable to look at it any longer

The side of her lip quirked up. "That was my original thought."

"I have a lighter," Matt said seriously, drawing said object from his pocket, an eager spark in his eye. "We can burn it in the parking lot."

Alex seriously considered this for the second time that day. However, it was a little too cliché for her taste. "Doesn't that seem a little juvenile to you?"

"No," Matt said shamelessly, his tone corded with loathing. "What else could you do with it?"

"Well…" She hesitated, reluctant to possibly spike her best friend's anger. Matt wasn't really one for having a temper, but everyone had their moments. It seemed his patience wore thin especially on the topic of vampires. "I could return it."

He gave her an incredulous look. "Tell me you're joking. If you think I'm letting you anywhere near that messed up family, you're wrong. You're lucky I didn't tell James."

"Matt," she protested unhappily. "Just because Kol can't be a decent person doesn't mean _I_ can't be. And besides, what about Rebekah? I thought you had a nice time with her last night?"

"I did," he admitted grudgingly. "But after what Kol did to you… I don't want anything to do with them." His eyes landed on something behind Alex, and his dark looked returned. "And if they keep coming here, I guess that means I'll quit."

Alex's eyebrows pulled together. Turning around, her blood ran cold, icing her veins. Kol had walked through the door, his hands in the pockets of a double breasted coat. His dark eyes were already on her, lit with sinister amusement.

"Just the girl I was looking for," he said, walking up to lean against the bar. His eyes bored into hers, and for a transient moment, Alex couldn't breathe. All at once, it was as if she were standing outside with him again; her stomach flickered warmly a moment before he bit her, secretly enthralled by him until he showed his true colors. She shook the feeling off again, returning to the reality where Matt was already standing, his face an inch away from Kol's, seething, as Kol returned his look with one of composed challenge.

"Matt, is it?" There was something dark swimming under Kol's tone. "I don't think we were properly introduced. You and Alex took off quite early last night. I'm afraid you missed all the fun."

"Leave," Matt bit out, his eyes mere slits and his jaw set. "I won't tell you a second time."

Kol chuckled. "Why? Because you want nothing to do with me or my family? Yes, I heard you on my way in. So did my sister."

This bit of information had the effect Kol intended: Matt double-taked, his eyes widening. The attempt the high school boy made to compose himself was unsuccessful, and Kol was satisfied. Although the boy wanted little Alex to believe he loathed all members of his family, Kol knew better. Of course, he _always_ knew better.

"Rebekah?" Matt breathed with a twinge of remorse. "Where is she?"

"Returned to the house, I believe," Kol said with a shrug, not caring either way how his sister reacted to the human boy's disposition. "You could say she was… upset." He smiled, delighted by Matt's anxiety.

Alex deliberated her best friend's guilt, secretly glad he actually liked Rebekah. Someone needed to take his mind off of Elena and Caroline. However, Matt didn't move. He squared his shoulders, and for a moment, Alex was afraid he'd lunge at Kol. She stepped between them, but couldn't possibly hold him off if he chose to attack.

"Matt," she spoke up quickly, beseeching. "Matt, your boss is gonna notice if you don't get back to work. I'll be fine here." She tugged at his arm, trying futilely to pull him back from Kol.

Matt shook his head defiantly. "I'll get back to it once he leaves."

"Well," Kol said with a smirk, making a show to sit comfortably on a barstool, "you might be waiting a while, then."

"Matt, please," Alex said, her eyes insistent. "I'll just wait for you here. It's a public place—he can't hurt me."

"Oh, I beg to differ," Kol said merrily, sitting back, watching the pair before him with an evil twinkle in his eye. "I'm much more creative than I get credit for."

"Donovan!" a cook shouted from the kitchen, his voice gruff with impatience. "Order's up!"

"Go," Alex urged. "Please."

Matt gave Kol one last hard stare. As much as he hated to admit it, Alex was right—the boss would notice, and he couldn't afford to lose his job right now. He wanted to wipe the smirk right of the Original's face; not only would it upset Alex, but he was certain things would only worsen from there. So instead, he left him with a viable threat. "You touch her, and I swear you'll regret it." Then he walked rigidly back to retrieve the order, leaving Alex alone in Kol's company.

Alex swallowed hard. Every atom in her body vibrated; the way Kol looked at her rose goose bumps on her arms, like he was a lion carefully calculating how to kill his prey; her fight or flight instincts urged her to put as much distance between them as possible, but his eyes were foreboding, freezing her in place. When he caught sight of the bandage, a dark flame lit up his eyes.

"Healing nicely?" he asked, brushing a finger over her skin.

Alex flinched away from him, barely remembering to breathe. She took little comfort in the fact that a man sat on her other side, albeit he was a stranger and oblivious to the threat at the bar. The _vampire_ at the bar. "No thanks to you," she muttered, her agitation going unchecked for a brief moment.

He chuckled darkly. "What's wrong, darling?" he inquired mockingly. "Didn't sleep well?" The ever-present smirk tugged at his lips, threatening to pull into a grin.

Brow creasing in confusion, Alex gave him a blank look. "What do you…?" The words trailed off as realization dawned on her, her countenance twisting into horror while her skin paled. "You wouldn't," she murmured incredulously. "You _couldn't._" The dreams—_the dreams._ It wouldn't be the first time Alex heard of a vampire manipulating one's dreams, or conscious thought for that matter; but she suddenly felt so _vulnerable_, so exposed. After her extreme blood loss, Alex could remember only dreaming of him, of _being_ with him. Until now, the grounds upon which her mind chose such absurd deeds baffled her. There was no comfort in the fact that she, herself, had not dreamed of him of her own accord, that she did not find him attractive in that way. There was only pure horror because _he_ made her dream _that—_the unspeakable things he did to her—oh _God_.

"Ah, but I can," Kol said haughtily, absorbing her reaction giddily. "And I can make things much, much worse. But you did like them, didn't you? Yes, I believe you did. You sighed my name. _Begged _me for more." The sides of his eyes crinkled as his sinister jollity reached the depths of his pupils.

Her cheeks burned apple-red. Swallowing hard, Alex could barely meet his eyes. "What do you want from me?" she whispered.

"I'd like to finish what we started."

For a fleeting moment, the menacing gleam diminished from his features, replaced by a look of pure malevolence; his evil was bare and bleak to be observed, and Alex could see straight into the depths of his soul, to the wicked base of his very foundation. Never before had she gazed upon such hate, such shocking malice in the eyes of someone who appeared so young. It was his face, she realized then, that made him so deceiving; it confused her senses, causing her to believe there to be a boy somewhere inside this ancient creature. The boyish grin he flashed several times didn't belong to a thousand-year-old vampire—it _couldn't_. But there hardly seemed to be a scrap of humanity left within him. A shudder went down her spine and she felt utterly cold, as if ice had replaced her skin.

She knew only one thing: he was predator, and she was prey.

Standing up, the jacket slid from Alex's lap. Reflexively, she caught it before it touched the floor, then made a sour face at the item before flinging it at a deeply amused Kol and marching away, seething and terrified, forgetful of telling Matt she would wait for him. As she was making to leave the Grille, Elijah was slipping inside, his eyes stopping on her before flitting back to land on his younger brother, his grave expressing noting the correlation.

He allowed the girl to pass him without saying a word before continuing on to join his brother at the bar. Kol ordered a drink as Elijah sat down.

"Taking it upon yourself to ruin all the fun, are you, brother?" Kol inquired with a sneer. "You haven't changed one bit. Neither has Rebekah, snitching to you."

Elijah fixed him with a hard stare. "Whatever game you're playing with this girl, you will stop. You already disgraced Mother at the ball, Kol. Do not do it a second time."

"And I thought Finn was her only puppet," the younger brother commented dryly. "I see she's poisoned your mind as well."

"Do you have no appreciation for losing her?" Elijah asked with the smallest hint of incredulity, observing Kol's countenance with a keen eye.

Kol remained utterly impassive, if not somewhat spiteful. "I did not wish her back. She could have remained dead for all I care."

Watching Kol another moment, only mildly surprised, Elijah pressed his lips into a hard line and stood, straightening his jacket. "Do not touch the girl," was all he said before following the example Miss Heart had set and leaving his brother behind, alcohol lingering as his only company.

Kol watched Matt serve a couple across the room, intense hunger and hate burning within him, a raging fire that wanted to destroy all in its path. His mother's presence would not influence him the way it had his brothers. He cared not what she thought of him; Elijah was foolish to think she would accept them as vampires, and Niklaus was even more ill of mind to consider her forgiveness as anything but falsehood. Whereas they would choose to shield themselves from the reality of the situation, Kol preferred a more rational belief. And accompanying that belief was the ubiquitous urge to do harm; to do anything that might defy his mother's wishes.

He rose from the seat, throwing several bills on the counter for the bartender. As he strode to the door, he glanced back at Matthew Donovan, and a wicked smile overtook his lips.

* * *

><p>However much she tried to shake it, there remained the incessant feeling that Alex was being watched.<p>

Paranoid had never been something she considered herself to be until she laid eyes on the predatorily gleaming irises of her own personal demon that night. They were imprinted in her mind, brown and warm, yet devoid of any emotional warmth: as utterly confounding as his smile. It had always shaken her, how very young Stefan and Damon appeared when in truth, they were over a century old. Somehow, Kol still seemed different without even considering the fact that he had existed for over a _millennia_.

Alex hunched her shoulders, shelling into her jacket further, moving her icy fingers to keep the blood flowing. The late-afternoon was colder than she expected, frigid to the point she wished she had a winter coat on, and the sun was dipping low in the sky, creating an early dusk. She could spot her house just down the sidewalk a ways; the porch lights glowed, meaning James was either home or had left them on for her. She hoped it was the latter, or else she would have to duck up to her room before he saw her and the obstructive bandage on her neck.

Her eyes carefully perused the shadows falling beside the houses lining the street, anxious to get home. How could someone she just met unnerve her so much? Undoubtedly, it was the conflicting emotions of fear and attraction—_false_ attraction he created in her dreams. Butterflies and intense anger surged through her at the Kol's reminder that she had begged him for more. She made a mental note to ask Matt for more vervain, since her supply had run out a week ago and she hadn't replenished it. Then Kol wouldn't be able to tread in her mind.

It was silent; not even crickets chirped to break up the deafening stillness. Alex was nearing the pathway to her porch when footsteps sounded behind her, soft and careful. Whipping her head around, she found the street empty, not another soul in sight. Shivering and moving faster, she hastened up the porch steps and pushed through the door. After shutting it firmly in her wake, she leaned back against it and took deep breaths, reveling in the safety of the house; she chastised herself for being so fearful of what had probably been an echo of her own movement.

A quick glance around told Alex that James was not yet home: his car keys were missing from their usual residence on a hook just inside the kitchen. She shrugged off her jacket and folded it over a chair, en route to the refrigerator to sate her grumbling stomach. Her foot connected with something, kicking it hollowly under the china cabinet.

Sinking to her knees curiously, Alex leaned down to the hardwood floor and reached under the cabinet, feeling for the item. Her fingers brushed and curled around a cylinder; upon drawing it out, Alex was stunned to find it was a _stake_. A legit, carved to a very sharp point, wooden stake.

She stood and set it warily on the tabletop before realizing a newspaper was out as well, opened to an article on the new string of 'animal attacks'. It was an article James wrote. After skimming a few words, she stopped, already knowing it was just some story James had made up to explain the attacks. That's what the newspaper paid him to do, and no matter how much he loathed it, they needed the money.

But why would James keep a stake on hand?

A creak in the living room made Alex jump. _Was_ James here? Did he just not put his keys away?

"James?"

She moved to the archway to peek in, but stopped cold when her eyes caught sight of the front door. It was open, letting in a slate of streetlight.

Her breath caught in her throat. _It's nothing_, she told herself firmly_, I probably just didn't shut it all the way._ _That's all_. Walking forward cautiously, she slowly closed the door and listened for the _click_ of the lock. She stood very still and listened to the house. There was only the hum of the fridge.

Her muscles relaxed as she returned to the kitchen and poured a bowl of cereal. Cooking wasn't really her forte. Leaning against the counter, she turned the newspaper back to the front page, scanning the list of upcoming town events. Most were held at the Lockwood mansion—charities, tea parties, annual events that secretly hosted Council meetings. James often complained of the growth of meetings since Stefan and Damon Salvatore arrived in Mystic Falls.

She was deliberating another article when a shadow fell onto the page, looming from behind her. Alex froze mid-bite, slowly processing the threat. The spoon fell from her hand and clattered to the table, leaving a splatter of milk and cheerios, before she swung around to face the intruder. She gaped.

"Mr. Saltzman?"

Alaric stood before her, a strange look warping his face into something alien. The sides of his lips were curved up in what she supposed was meant to be a smile, but it looked terribly _wrong _and out of place on him. Something slithered deep in his eyes, an evident change from his usual amiableness.

"Alex," he said with his dark smile, imbuing his voice with similar likeness. "I wasn't expecting to find you here."

Alex stuttered uncomprehendingly. It was _her_ house—who was he expecting? Her heartbeat spiked, pumping so loud she was certain he could hear it. "W—what are you doing here?" Her voice pitched and wavered. She backed up slowly; the rational part of her knew that this was Mr. Saltzman, her history teacher, the vampire hunter—he was _safe_. But instinct urged her to run. He blocked the archway to the front door.

"I was looking for James," he said simply, but there was an edge to his tone. He ran his fingers over the table considerately before plucking up the stake, contemplating it as he twisted it in his grip. When his eyes returned to Alex, she felt queasy. "But you'll do."

The moment he lunged forward, Alex stumbled back, darting into the dark living room. Without sparing a glance over her shoulder, she _knew_ he was on her heels. In her haste to escape, she knocked over a lamp, sending it shattering to the ground. He grabbed a fistful of her hair, yanking her viscously to the floor as pain lanced through her scalp. Alex cried out, clambering backwards. Grabbing her by the throat and cutting off her airflow, he proceeding to lift her from the floor. She choked, the sides of her vision fading. Her hand shot out to grab a fractured shard of the ceramic lamp and slashed it across his arm.

Alaric roared in pain, dropping her as he grasped his crimson-dripping arm to his chest with a look of pure loathing, the stake still tightly held in his other hand. Taking the chance to flee, Alex sprung to her feet, panicked and unsteady as she raced to the front door.

Her phone was in her jacket, but it would be quicker to get the neighbor's attention. With shaky, uncoordinated hands, she unlocked the front door and thrust it open just as Alaric was charging towards her. A scream flew from her lips as she dashed outside; he had a vice-like grip on her forearm, jerking her back.

She was knocked to the porch, sprawling back quickly to keep her attacker in view. Alaric looked triumphant, cornering her up to the railing. He was about to raise the stake to plunge forward when a figure sped forward. Alex blinked up in surprise and horror upon realizing who was now standing ahead of her, a cocky smirk on his lips.

"Sorry, mate," Kol said, rushing forward and snapping Rick's neck like he was doing nothing more than breaking a twig. He carelessly dropped the limp body to the ground, eyeing it with amusement. "But I saw her first."

Moving quickly, she scrambled over the threshold of the door, successfully putting a barrier up to shield her from Kol, who had been a second too late. He stood just outside, pompously cocking an eyebrow.

"You're a quick little thing, aren't you?" He mocked, his eyes dancing as he crouched down to bring his face level with hers. "Not to worry. I'm quite content extending this little game of ours."

Alex breathed heavily with terror, clasping a hand over her mouth to quell a whimper as she looked from Kol's voracious eyes to Alaric's bent neck. _Dead_ was all she could process as she trembled. _He's dead._

"What's wrong, Alex?" he mocked. "Squeamish?"

"You killed him," she whispered hollowly, fighting the urge to sob.

Kol smirked and straightened up, examining the ring on Alaric's finger. Relief flooded Alex's chest—he was wearing the ring; Matt recently told her about his own run-in with Alaric being resurrected. Now all of her fear centered on Kol, who was regarding her like a plaything. "I'd save worrying that pretty head of yours over what tomorrow will bring you," he advised vaguely, chuckling. "Sweet dreams, little Alex."

Shutting the door swiftly, Alex buried her face in her hands, shaking uncontrollably as tears welled in her eyes. Alaric would live. He would be fine. But he _attacked_ her—why? That wasn't the Alaric Saltzman she knew, had heard only good things about. It was someone else entirely. Right?

But Kol—oh God, what was she going to do about him? What _could _she do?

A car door slammed outside. She stood on tiptoes to peek out the rectangular glass panel at the top of the door, her stomach squirming with nerves. Kol was gone, and so was Alaric. James was coming up the walk.

Thinking quickly, Alex grabbed a high-collared jacket from the coat rack and pulled it on haphazardly, concealing the bandage on her neck. She rubbed fallen tears from her face and checked her reflection in the mirror. Though she looked less than composed, it would do. James wasn't the perceptive type. But should he find out about the night's occurrences, he would lose his temper and go off after Kol and Alaric.

He stepped inside the house as she grabbed a broom and dustpan, headed back into the living room to clean up the shattered lamp.

"Alex?" James called out absently as he shuffled the mail together. "You home?"

"I'm right here," she replied unevenly, dusting the small pieces into the pan before she picked up the larger ones. She outwardly cringed when she came upon the bloodied one she used to wound Alaric and saw his lifeless body in her mind's eyes. _He's fine_, she reassured herself. _Just fine._

James entered the living room. His eyebrows rose as he took in the mess. "What happened?"

"I'm just clumsy," she shrugged, studiously averting her eyes. She brushed her hands off on the front of her dress and stood to empty the pan, praying he didn't notice her shaky hands.

James followed her into the kitchen. When his eyes fell on the newspaper, he swallowed hard and gathered it in his hands. Alex watched him tuck it into his briefcase, which sat upon a barstool. The stake came to mind, making her shiver. It was not a topic she was ready to visit.

"Do you want pizza tonight?" James asked, preoccupying himself by sorting through some papers, oblivious to the terror his younger sister had just experienced.

"I had cereal," she said in a continually shrinking voice. When she looked at James, all she heard was Damon's strange threat, saw Alaric trying to kill her. She ducked out of the kitchen and away from her brother's eyes. "I'm gonna finish my homework."

Once she closed her bedroom door, she collapsed on the bed and curled into a ball with her fingers laced over her knees and eyes pinched shut. Fear lingered in her body; fear of Alaric, fear of Kol, of Damon, and whatever James has gotten himself into.

Then a thought rose from nowhere, unbidden: Kol had probably saved her life.

How seriously messed up was that?

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Okay, a few things. I **_**had**_** to use Alaric's evil side—I thought it was so clever in the show, and there's so much I can do with it. If you guys won't be terribly appalled, I'd like to deviate from the show's events, though, so that I might, as Kol said, "extend this little game." There is one thing that's nagging at me though: how might I weave him into the story better, to make him much more reoccurring? I have a bunch of ideas, but I wondered if you guys might have something I didn't think of that would work better. Do you like his evil-ness? I thought we could have some fun with that, wink wink. Vampires manipulate dreams… and well, he's going to really get inside Alex's head. **

**All right, sorry for the ramble. I hope to hear your thoughts!(:**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Vampire Diaries.**

**A/N: Sorry for the wait! I was on vacation. Now I'm back and so very pleased with all your reviews! You guys keep this story going! (-:**

**Who else squealed with glee when seeing Kol on that last episode? Now we just need Elijah, and life will be complete. (-; Funny thing: so I pretty much have a general idea of this story outlined, and TVD is currently using a version of an idea (I won't tell you which). So I'm going to continue with the way I outlined this, and we'll just see how it works. I still plan to completely deviate from the show's storyline, right now. It'll give us a great deal more of sexy Kol/Alex time. Who wouldn't want that? (;**

**Also, you guys can follow me on tumblr and shout at me. (-: camrynrose13 dot tumblr dot com**

**Kindly review after reading. I'd like to know how I'm doing! **

* * *

><p><strong>Three<strong>

"Alex, what the _hell_?" Matt exclaimed furiously, slamming the door to his truck with a driving force. He had caught sight of his best friend sitting on a picnic table in front of the main school building when he parked, and now strode to her with a purposeful gait. "I called you five times yesterday. Why didn't you pick up?"

Picking her gaze off the ground, Alex shielded her eyes from the glaring sun as she appraised Matt wearily. Her bag sat on the table beside her along with a scatter of books. He stopped his premeditated lecture and his lips pulled into a heavy frown, observing her fretfully. Two dark half moons had taken up residency beneath her eyes, as dark and worrisome as bruises. Her typically gemlike green eyes were bleary with drowsiness, induced further by her unusually milky skin. The bandage on her neck looked fresh.

"Sorry," she sighed, contrite. "I was… dealing with some things. Got caught up."

Matt seated himself next to her; some of his initial anger had dissipated at her visible grievances, leaving remnants of concern and annoyance in its wake. "Too caught up to let me know you were okay?"

A sheepish look crossed her face. She tucked a dark strand of hair behind her ear and stared down at her feet. "Mr. Saltzman tried to kill me."

Heavy, staggering silence followed. Then:

"_What?_" Matt gaped at her, certain he heard wrong.

"The night before last," she went on to explain. "He was in my house."

She told a condensed version of that night's occurrences in a rapid speech, quick to expel whatever angry impulses rose in Matt that were directed at her attackers. She skirted around the topic of her dreams of Kol and the strange implications that surrounded them, knowing it wouldn't bode well with Matt in the slightest. Very tentatively did she mention how Kol now regarded her as a plaything, an object of torture to toy with as he pleased. At least, that's what she had gathered from the rather dominating dream he created the previous night. A blush crept onto her face at the mere thought; the words would never pass her lips.

Matt's expression transformed from shocked to disgusted to livid in the matter of sixty seconds. The more Alex told him, the less she was able to meet his eyes. He already viewed her as powerless in the inducing menace of others: a mere human girl surrounded by a mania of supernatural creatures; defenseless, weak. A liability. This new morsel of information would only endorse that belief and instill it into his thoughts every time he looked at her. But he was only human, too.

"I can't believe it," Matt was saying, shattering through her reverie. A flicker of anger was directed at Alex's imprudence. "Why didn't you tell me sooner? Why didn't you wait for me like you _said_ you would?"

"I just—I _couldn't_," Alex tried futilely to reason with him. She bent her head down, shamefaced. "I should have, but I couldn't. I've known him for four days now, and already he knows how to get under my skin. It drives me _crazy_."

Matt stood abruptly with a purposeful air, his eyes gleaming recklessly. "Then I'll take care of it."

"_No_."She tugged him back beside her, fingers latched onto him unrelentingly. "That's a colossally stupid idea."

"What do you suggest I do?" Matt asked incredulously. "Wait around for him to get bored? Maybe kill you? You were never supposed to get mixed in with this stuff, Alex. Not _you_."

A wan smile imbued her lips, tiresome and feeble. In his eyes, it was all the more reason to gather a hunting party and go after Kol.

"Matt, my brother's on the Council," she said with a sad conviction, softened with what little comfort she could line it with. "I'm from a Founding family. I was destined to get mixed up in this."

He shook his head stubbornly, his jaw clenching. It was a cruel fate for her to accept, and he wouldn't allow it. "No. We can still get you out of it. Who knows what that sick bastard plans to do? He didn't save you from Alaric because he's some Prince Charming. He's the monster that wants to taunt you with freedom before he rips it from you."

Alex sighed heavily, resigned for the moment. This thought had already occurred to her. "What could we possibly do? I'm not letting you anywhere near him. And you're not gonna just leave this alone, like you should. Which means we're out of options."

"Rebekah," Matt said suddenly. Gears shifted behind his eyes as he stared off in the middle distance, an idea clicking into place visibly.

"Rebekah?" Alex repeated, confusion warping her weary features.

Matt nodded. Confidence had been restored to his eyes, an emotion otherwise misplaced in earlier minutes. "I know what we can do."

The first bell of the day rang shrill and impelling as Alex and Matt passed through the doorway of their first class. Each slumped into a seat parallel to one another; though Matt's gait held a feasible vigor provoked by a sense of hopefulness that Alex lacked. She slunk into her seat, wishing futilely to be safely tucked between the warm sheets of her bed, shielded against Kol's mind tricks and allowed a moment of rest. She had been deprived of such a clemency for the past two nights.

A vacant seat remained uninhabited diagonal from Matt; it grasped Alex's attention for a brief moment before the teacher began his monotonous lecture. Since several months prior, before Klaus had made his abrupt escape from Mikael, the desk belonged to Rebekah. With seamless grace, Rebekah had assimilated herself into high school society; yet despite the amount of confidence she imbued into every winning smile, her insecurity and hunger for attention eclipsed what beauty and envy could have come from this, at least in Alex's eyes.

Doubt settled in Alex's mind when pondering if the vampire would show up for class. Unquestionably, her main reason for pursuing such normalcy was caused by loneliness. After hearing Matt's voiced prejudice against her family, it was unlikely that Rebekah would seek any sort of haven at school. Alex's doubt did not linger for long, though: the tall blonde sauntered into the room a moment later, her expression forever imprinted as superior and aristocratic, her shoulders pulled back with pride. She did not spare a glance at Matt, who frowned at the frigidness of the air surrounding her as she passed him on her way to the empty seat. She settled into it, studying her flawless nails diligently.

The teacher wisely made no comment and continued his sleepy speech, having already experienced the verbal slaughter that would rise with Rebekah's temper.

Matt leaned back across the aisle, trying to catch Rebekah's falsely bored eyes with his remorseful ones. It was blatant that she was ignoring him. He sighed.

"Rebekah," he tried, aware that she was at least listening. His voice implored her. "I never had a chance to thank you."

It seemed Rebekah's curiosity couldn't withstand this intrigue. The tiniest, fractional bit of spark lit in her eyes as she peeked up at Matt, careful to retain a portion of her indifference. She chose not to grace him with speaking, but prompted him with her gaze.

"For helping," Matt explained further, grasping at the chance to appease the vampire. "At the ball. I really appreciate you doing that."

Rebekah shrugged, apparently not impressed, or choosing to not appear so. "It was nothing."

"It was something to _me_," he said, and even Alex believed him. Matt wasn't one to lie, so it was very possible that this was the truth.

Alex watched Matt try to patch up Rebekah's hurt feelings a moment longer before her attention dissolved in lassitude. Crossing her arms on her desk, she laid her head down closed her eyes. It seemed that hardly any time passed before the bell rang, signaling her liberation from the tedious lecture and the confinement of the stuffy classroom. She stood, anxious to pass the day so she may return home and attempt a nap.

"Well?" she raised her eyebrows at Matt as they walked through the crowded hallway together.

Matt just shook his head; his hope deflated, but perseverance prevailed in his blue eyes. He seemed deep in thought as they parted for their next class, nodding a perfunctory goodbye as he disappeared among the sea of students.

After staring at his last occupied space for a moment, Alex decided it was better to allow him to think. It would be foolish to hope he had forgotten about his fervor to take it upon himself to sever all strange ties Kol had strung between himself and Alex, but perhaps he would mull over the newfound desire to gain Rebekah's forgiveness for his brash words at the Grille for the time being. She found herself warming to the idea of him and Rebekah getting along well: Matt needed a distraction.

Turning on her heel, Alex started down the hallway en route to her next class, her legs carrying her robotically. The halls were slowly emptying again, provoking her step to hasten. She was unusually sluggish in her dreariness. As she was passing a doorway, an arm snaked around her waist and pulled her inside roughly. A cry escaped her lips, muffled by a hand covering her mouth; the door was fastened shut behind her, and the sound of a bolt sliding home locked her in.

A quick glance at her surroundings told her she had been pulled into an empty classroom. Dim light filtered in through the shades secured over the windows opposite of her, revealing the prosaic setting to be slightly dusty but neat.

Alex's captor's grip was unyielding. She flailed and twisted in his hold until it finally slacked of his own will, releasing her to stumble several paces forward before spinning around, laying eyes on him. A look of horror became her expression. Her mouth gaped open, but no words spilled forth.

Kol blocked her only path to the doorway. A pompous, predatory smile curved his lips; his typically brown eyes appeared black in the dim lighting, glinting like flint, ready to blaze.

"Alex," he said, taking in the way her body trembled. "Don't you look positively _delectable_ today."

Alex stuttered and staggered back, knocking over a desk in the process. Even after all the dreams he had assaulted her with, she was not used to the sight of him, the way her heart pounded achingly against her ribs and pulsated to the very tips of her fingers. He was here, at school: the only sanctuary she had considered herself to retain, after he had intruded upon her mind. Reality sunk in like a stone.

Nowhere would be safe from this monster.

"Oh, don't look so somber, darling," he teased, stepping closer to her. "It doesn't become you."

Before long, the backs of her thighs met the tabletop of another desk, deadening whatever means of space she meant to acquire; her knees turned to jelly in her fear, and she found herself clinging to it for support. Why had she come to school today and ventured out of the only place Kol could not preside in corporeally, where the only threat he had posed was encroachment and torture of the mind?

As he loomed before her, close enough for her to feel his warm breath tickle her neck, she knew only one thing: he was going to kill her. The look in his eyes reinforced this realization as he gazed upon her.

Instinct prodded her to open her mouth and scream for help, for anyone. She was sucking in a breath when he leaned forward and caught her eyes with his; his pupils dilated, and she couldn't tear her gaze away. It was entrancing and domineering—she was completely at his mercy. Conscious thought continued to stream through her head, but was muffled by the attentiveness newly casted on him. She found herself studying the warm color of his eyes when he chose to speak, his voice soft yet commanding, a sturdy and vile caress rolling off his tongue.

"Shh," he hushed her gently, but she could detect a deep malignity in his eyes. "Quiet now, little Alex. There's no need to make a fuss."

The compellation settled in her mind immediately, forcing her will away as she obliged his command and remained silent. She struggled and fought, but the attempt was futile: he was too powerful. She couldn't even whimper.

Kol lifted a hand, making her flinch away as if he meant to hit her. Instead, he ran a finger alongside her jaw, down to her lips, watching where his skin ghosted over hers. "So innocent," he murmured in dark fascination. "It makes the blood all the richer. Tell me, sweet, little Alex, what sort of games do you like to play?" He watched her a moment, quirking an amused eyebrow at her vain attempt to speak, to move away from him. "Tell you what, sweetheart. I'll teach you some of mine."

Alex tried to squirm away, but he grabbed her arms with a bruising grip and forced her still. She could only manage to gasp silently at the pain. Tears welled up in her eyes, blurring her sight as she looked up at him helplessly. This was it. She would die by his hand like the weak little girl everyone considered to be. Matt was right to think that of her.

In his harsh grip, he lifted her arm up contemplatively before his mouth, trailing the smooth skin back to its owner's face with his eyes. Bringing it to his mouth, he held her stare; Alex tensed and braced for the pain that would follow, pinching her eyes shut.

Instead, a vigorous, warm sensation tingled the skin on her arm. She blinked her eyes open in confusion as her mouth dropped open. He was _kissing _her. His tongue traced the blue vein visible at the base of her wrist, making her quiver exponentially. Those liquid brown eyes of his were intent on her with a dark, sinister glow.

This was his game, she realized terribly. He would torture her slowly, as he had been doing for the past two days. The time had passed painstakingly sluggish, allowing her to drown in each prolonged moment of distress he pressed upon her. But all of those feelings and those sensations hadn't been _real_—not until now.

She wished a hole would open up in the floor and swallow her up. Her skin suddenly felt too hot, and her knees melted to liquid. Without the slightest pinch of gentleness, Kol picked her up and placed her on the desk forcing her legs to protract as he situated his body between them. He buried a hand into her long dark hair and kissed her lips forcibly, catching her bottom lip between his teeth, his fang elongating to scrap the soft, sensitive skin, threatening to draw blood. Alex pressed her palms against his chest, trying to push him off of her, but he was stone and she was wind. Her heart beat so loud in her chest that it was deafening.

The tears sprang from her eyes, raining down her face in a soundless stream as his other hand caught her arms and pinned them against his body, rendering her completely ineffectual. Pulling back from her swollen and pink lips for a brief moment, he brushed his lips against the shell of her ear, eliciting a shiver to spread up her spine. He smirked.

"What's that, Alex?" he taunted her forced muteness. "Something you'd like to say? Don't you remember that blissful dream you had last night? You moaned my name for hours." He drew his hand from her hair and traced the side of her body, stopping at her thighs. "I can show you how it really feels. Would you like that?"

Alex shook her head fervently, pleading with her eyes for him to stop. She looked beyond him to the door, praying for someone to aid her, for _anyone_. But what could they do? Who could possibly be stronger than Kol?

He tucked a strand of hair behind her ears; it would have seemed tender if he wasn't regarding her as one would a prized toy or possession. "Don't be shy, darling," he murmured with a smirk.

Why was he playing with her like this? Of all the things he could do, why this? What sort of satisfaction could he possibly gain? For all she knew, it could have been out of sheer boredom that he started this. This game of life and death, as if she was nothing more than a doll to toss around until she fell apart at the seams. He wouldn't grant her a quick and painless death. No, that would be far too easy. It wouldn't be _fun_ for him.

Kol captured her lips once more, letting his hands graze freely over her body. There was something strange about the way he touched her, though: it wasn't completely rough, as if he infused it with delicate care, but at the same time, rashness and vehemence. The smallest, faintest hint of gentlemanly conduct existed somewhere within him; it was wiped away immediately after it surfaced, replaced by wanton desire. Something hidden about him slipped through the cracks of his impeccable indifference—no _apathy —_like an incorrigible personality trait. Alex had a brief moment to reflect on this and remove her mind from its current torment before he pulled her back in with flashing pain.

It took her a moment to realize what happened. Blood began to pool in her mouth, tasting metal and salty to her tongue. It came from the inside of her bottom lip: he _bit_ her.

Her legs kicked out at him, and she beat her arms against his chest and pulled at his hair, anxious to get away, _desperate_. Inside her chest, her heart beat frantically, quicker than before. She was terrified. Would he drain her?

Unlatching himself from her, Kol pulled back. He wore the face of a demon: his handsome features were twisted and warped. Blood infused eyes bored into her soul, beneath which green veins protruded. Sharp, perilous fangs jutted from his mouth, dripping her crimson blood in splatters to the carpet. He leered at her helplessness, her futile attempts to fight him off. A sick apprehension passed over her: that was why he hadn't compelled her to be still. He wanted her to struggle.

His eyes were fathomless, containing a dark matter of satisfaction beneath. How did such a heartless creature exist? Alex had never believed in the devil until she met him.

Kol's touch was sensuous and distressing. He ran the back of his hand along the sensitive flesh of her neck, leisurely observing the misery he inflicted upon her. Alex didn't have time to think before he reared back and prepared to puncture her neck.

A shrill scream jolted Alex awake, pitching her forth into the subsequent silence of her surrounding peers. It took her several moments to clear her head. She was still in class.

_It was just a dream_.

But it had felt so _real_. The brush of his lips on hers still lingered in her memory, his breath tickling her neck, his fangs piercing her lip. It was part of his game. A hot blush covered her face; it had been _her_ scream to wake her up, and now everyone in the classroom stared at her queerly, with varying degrees of mocking amusement. After forcing herself to stay awake so as not to be poisoned by Kol's mind tricks the previous night, she'd fallen right into a trap and given into her exhaustion in class.

Oh, God. Did she say his name, like he always claimed she did? Embarrassment did not cover what she felt. She ducked her head and frowned at the floor, eager to escape the judging looks.

Beside her, Matt was giving her a probing look, imbued with concern. He opened his mouth to speak when the bell rang, in reality this time. Alex snatched her bag off the ground and scooped up her books before dashing into the hallway.

In her blind haste to flee, she didn't notice another object that begged to be avoided until she crashed into it. Books clacked to the linoleum floor and papers rustled like falling leaves in their wake as Alex was knocked backwards on her feet, recoiling as if stung with shock. Alaric stumbled back, appearing just as flabbergasted, but lacking the flash of memory evidently playing itself in her eyes. Anxiously, he ran a hand through his hair, disheveling it further than its initial fresh-out-of-bed mess.

"Alex—didn't see you there," he said as he stooped awkwardly to gather his papers, shuffling them into a haphazard attempt of neatness. When it became apparent that she wasn't going to move, he picked up her book and held it out to her with a questionable once-over. Was she okay? "Alex?"

Alex blinked up at him, urged halfway into terror and confusion. How could he look at her like that? Like he hadn't tried to kill her just two days ago? All she saw when gazing at him was the moment he had raised the stake, prepared to strike her; the resolution had been so instilled in his eyes that she shuddered.

Why was this town suddenly crawling with psychopaths?

Tearing the book from a confounded-Rick's grasp, Alex hurried past him, headed for the school parking lot in a frenzy. Alaric stared after her dumbly, his jaw slacked; when a concerted Matt shoveled past him, then double-taked as comprehension provoked his eyes to narrow at his history teacher.

Matt lunged forward and grabbed Alaric by the front of his shirt, pulling him nose to nose. Pure yet insular loathing became Matt's expression, and even in the midst of the moment, he was shocked; his balled fists held only the strength of someone mentally incapacitated within thought. Students stopped dead around them, forming a keen arc with murmured whispers of excitement at a fight that might ensue. Alaric's eyes were wide and disbelieving. He made no move to disengage himself from the frenetic teenager, too shocked to move.

The roar of injudicious excitement from his classmates brought Matt back to reality, forcing him to think better. He searched Rick's eyes for any signs of the malice Alex reported him to commit. Seeing no evidence, he stiffly let go.

"Stay the hell away from her," he growled. "I know what you did."

Alaric was left there in the gathering of students, watching as Matt barreled past several others in his route to the doors. The English teacher had peeped his head out from his classroom door, and now gave Alaric a wary _what-the-hell? _look. Lingering students began churning rumors about the run-in, casting their teacher impish looks.

Scratching his downcast head, he turned around. It was going to be a hell of a day.

He would need his flask.

* * *

><p>"Well, aren't you just a big ball of sunshine today?" was the sarcastic comment that greeted Alex as soon as she stepped on the sidewalk leading to her front door.<p>

She froze in place, her already borderline-hysterical countenance deepening further. The tall, dark, and immensely unstable Damon Salvatore stood upon her porch, leaning against the railing as he appraised her with prying look.

For the umpteenth time, fear painfully tore through her chest. Today was just not her day.

"Careful," he added, in that irking drawl of his. His eyes flashed with some unreadable emotion, perusing her face. "Don't get too excited to see me. I'll blush."

In a flash, Alex had her cell phone out and used the speed dial, raising it to her ear without removing her gaze from Damon. She was through being played with today. Her nerves were too frayed to endure anything further.

"James," her brother's name rushed out of her mouth in a raised pitch when she heard him answer. "I need you to come home. Now."

There was a pause. "Are you okay?" he asked, sensing her panic.

"No." Her voice wavered. She was far from okay. "Please come home."

Damon smirked at her when the line clicked off. "You're actually doing me a favor, you know. Now I won't have to waste my time tracking that pest down."

There was a dark keenness in his crystal blue eyes. Alex couldn't help but notice how different his wickedness was from Kol—they were far from being similar. Kol was the devil, resolute and stanch in his evil, and Damon was a mere demon. The latter still held a deep-rooted source of humanity within him, whereas the former had shredded the very last granule from himself.

"What do you want?" she demanded, but her inflection was weak. She cringed outwardly as his smirk grew.

"You and I need to have a little chat," he said, eyeing the way she tensed up with a cocked eyebrow. "Oh, don't be shy, now. I won't bite."

_Don't be shy, darling._ Kol. He had said that. Would she see signs of him in everything now? Would she never escape his torment?

Shifting to stand straight, Damon drew an object out from beneath his leather jacket, where he had concealed it. "Look familiar?" he waved it in the air like one would wobble a pencil.

The stake. Alex recognized it immediately. It was the stake Alaric had tried to kill her with; her memory narrowed down to absolute precision about the wretched thing as the moment of pure horror would be forever seared into her skull. She had never attempted to collect it after James returned home and Alaric and Kol disappeared. She hadn't dared to.

"Where—where did you get that?" Her unease was more pronounced, and she unconsciously backed away, even though he was several feet away from her. Something about the tightness of his stance nagged at her subconscious.

"Shrub," he said simply, nodding at the specific piece of vegetation dwelling to his left, in front of the porch railing. His eyes narrowed at her with well-placed suspicion. "Wonder how it got there."

Goose bumps rose on her arms. She couldn't risk looking away from him to glance up the road for her brother's car.

"Thing is," Damon began, stepping off the porch slowly to approach her as the tip of his forefinger grazed the point of the stake absently, "we have a little problem." He stopped in front of her, his eyes as frigid as icebergs, chilling her to the bone. "This," he held the stake up close to her face, inducing a flinch from the fresh memory of imminent death, "doesn't exist."

Alex's forehead creased as she blinked up at him. "What?"

"This never happened," he enunciated firmly, with more than a pinch of impatience. "You're gonna forget all about this little incident."

The confusion in her eyes grew. "You mean… Mr. Saltzman?" Damon and Rick were close—Rick was Damon's only friend. Surely he knew about the teacher's true disposition, the darkness within him?

Damon gave her an eye roll. "No, I mean Buffy. Who else?"

"So Mr. Saltzman… he _told_ you…" she trailed off, searching for confirmation.

Bringing his face level to hers, Damon glared at her. "Let's get one thing straight. I don't know anything, and neither do you. You're not gonna tell anyone what happened because _nothing_ happened. Forget about it. Understand?"

_He doesn't think I can be compelled,_ Alex suddenly realized. _He doesn't realize that I don't have any vervain. _Why else would he _tell_ her to forget about the event with Alaric, rather than compel her? She was part of a Founding family—he would of course assume that she was well equipped with the substance that fended off the influence of vampires.

"Why not?" she asked, the question spilling from her lips with a sudden desperate curiosity. "What's gonna stop him from trying it again?" Her stomach knotted up at his expression.

Looming over her, his glare intensified. "Just don't breathe a word of it. It's being handled. Got it?"

Alex nodded numbly as her mind began to spin. What was the deal? What did he mean it was being handled? She didn't have time to think for long, because before she knew it, a car door was slamming beside her and her brother's incensed voice reached her ears.

"Damon," he growled, his jaw clenching. "Get the hell away from my sister."

Damon gave him a sinister smile. "I don't really think you're in any position to be making demands right now. Isn't that right?"

Thick tension imbued the air as James squared his taut shoulders and Damon taunted him with that smile. Alex looked between the two uncomprehendingly, biting her lip.

"Am I missing something?"

"She doesn't know?" Damon cocked an elegant black eyebrow, his eyes glinting like a predator. "Interesting."

James's mouth tightened into a thin line as he visibly restrained himself from making any rash move to attack Damon. A vein popped in his forehead, and eyes the same deep green as Alex's glowered with intense hatred. "Leave her out of this."

"She's already in it," Damon said, clearly pleased by the turn of events. He shouldered past James, throwing him a threatening look over his shoulder as he headed towards the sidewalk. "You want to keep her safe, then I suggest you start minding your own business. This is your last warning."

At last, he had vanished into the wind, leaving only a dark a forlorn feeling in his wake. Alex looked to James immediately, her brow still furrowed in confusion. He stared down the road with his lips curled into a scowl. She remembered the strange conversation James had with the Mayor at the ball, the warning Damon had given her for him at the Grille, and that Alaric had come here specifically with him in mind. Something bad was going on. She knew it.

"What have you gotten us into?" she asked finally, once his impassive gaze had settled on her.

The hint of a frown shone at his lips. "Don't worry about it, Alex. It's nothing. And what are you doing home, anyway? You're supposed to be at school."

Her thoughts turned to the devil that was haunting her. One day. It had taken one day after meeting him, and everything had spun out of control. She hoped she would land on her feet.

* * *

><p>Accidently colliding with several of his peers as he shoved through the doors of the school, Matt muttered a gruff apology and continued onward. His eyes perused the school grounds avidly; his hands were gripped in tight fists at his sides. The brief run-in with Alaric had left him angry and confused. He didn't know what to think.<p>

The parking lot was completely packed since it was only second period. The large quantity of cars was completely abandoned. Alex didn't have a car; she would either wait at his truck or walk home if she was truly inclined to leave. A quick glance at his truck found it void of her, which he had already expected. By the way she flew out of the classroom, it didn't seem like she would have stuck around.

He didn't recognize his typically lighthearted and easygoing friend anymore; not since the night of the ball. Her light step was now weighed down with stress and fear, her bright smile had been missing for some time, and her eyes didn't hold any spark within. She had been displaced.

Something on the edge of Matt's vision caught his eye: the origin of Alex's calamities.

Kol.

He stood a good distance away, but Matt could see everything about him. There was an arrogant smirk on his lips and his eyes danced with dark mirth. Just as Matt began to charge forward after the Original, he disappeared, seeping into the air.

Matt cursed under his breath.

* * *

><p><strong>Will I lose a lot of readers if I kick this up to an M rating? Also, may not always be so hectic like this. A lot happened in this chapter, and I may or may not keep it that way. <strong>

**And what did you think of our little Kol/Alex encounter? (You know, even though it was a dream.)**

**I've gotten dislikes for this chapter, but I'm glad you guys are speaking up. Was it that bad? Do I need to emphasize where I'm going with this more?**

**Follow me on tumblr if you like! camrynrose13 dot tumblr dot com**

**Please review! (-:**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Vampire Diaries.**

**A/N: Oh goodness, thank you all kindly for the amazing reviews! You have no idea how much they mean to me. (-: Plus, they help me write more! I am sorry for the delay in this chapter, I have gotten **_**beyond**_** busy lately. Anyway, you guys can always follow me on tumblr for updates and whatnot: camrynrose13 dot tumbler dot com. (-: **

**Here goes! Please review! **

* * *

><p><strong>Four<strong>

All conversation ceased as Kol sauntered into the living room. Two pairs of eyes fell on him, both wary and keen; an overtly suspicious glint was superimposed beneath them, and he didn't need to use preternatural hearing to know that he had been the topic of present. Remaining indifferent to such a display of antics, Kol continued his easy stride into the room and settled himself in a chair opposite of Niklaus, plucking an abandoned book from off the coffee table and skimming its pages without interest.

"It's wonderful to see you two getting along again," Kol muttered facetiously, flicking the book back on the table. There was a reason it had been discarded. "All must be right with the world."

"And where have you been?" Klaus asked brusquely, momentarily shoving aside yet another drawing of the fair-haired Caroline to regard his younger brother with contempt. "You've hardly shown your face in three days."

Klaus had always had an easy temper to bait, but Elijah, reserved and aloof Elijah, showed hardly a flicker of emotion.

"Yes, Kol," Elijah asked with only a hint of enunciation, exposing the faintest intimation that the eldest brother was not happy. "Where have you been?"

"Oh, let's not pretend we actually care, shall we?" Kol suggested in a falsely kind voice. "Save that charade for Mother."

A dark look from Elijah fell on him. "Kol," he said in a tight voice as he raised an eyebrow, prompting. "Your cooperation would be much more beneficial with the current situation."

Kol returned a challenging stare. "And what might that situation be, brother? Do enlighten me."

"You will show respect or you will not show yourself at all," Niklaus spoke up with resolute loathing, his jaw clenched. Even craven Finn did not irk Klaus's nerves as much as his youngest brother did.

Said respect was dashed away with a roll of Kol's eyes. "Or what? You'll begin your threats again? Have you nothing else to do?"

Klaus opened his mouth to retort, but was quickly impeded by Elijah's firm tone.

"Enough."

It seemed that sibling hierarchy prevailed in the room, as both Klaus and Kol closed their mouths but stared each other down petulantly. It was enough to almost make Elijah's fondness for family rekindle, if it had been under other circumstances; if their quarrelling existed in the simpler world that had existed a thousand years ago, instead of the complex chaos of the current day.

"You've been disappearing for the majority of the day," Elijah said, his statement directed to Kol. "Tell me, what have you been doing with your time?"

"Adjusting," Kol answered simply, without inflection. He cast a malicious glance at Klaus. "Some of us missed the previous century."

A smirk upturned Klaus's lips, but he said nothing as he returned to his drawing.

Elijah studied his youngest brother prudently. With a stone-faced mask, Kol stared back; this was it, he knew. He would yet again be trailed by a shadow should Elijah suspect him of foul play. No longer was he willing to be deprived of the life he once lived without obstruction, without reign or rule. It was his for the taking, once more. He would allow nothing to get in the way of that. Liberation from his brother's watchful eye was key.

His brother's eyes were as cool as stone. Of all his siblings, Elijah was the one to remain wary of. An incessant paradox, he was: though he was the most devoted and loyal, he was the least trusting and always prying into things he had no matter with.

"Have you been in contact with Miss Heart lately?" Elijah asked casually, but his tone was laced with needles.

Kol couldn't help himself. He smirked. "I shouldn't have the malice to trouble such a dear, innocent creature. How could you think so low of me?"

Elijah's face tightened. "I told you to keep your distance. Mark my words, Kol: you will regret any further action against Mother's wishes."

All the more reason to carry on, then.

"Do you hear how pathetic you've become, Elijah? Is it not conceivable to you, that Mother is spinning falsehoods? How very ignorant of you." Kol's voice remained light, but his eyes burned with scorn.

"Is it not conceivable to you that it may very well be reality? Have you lost all hold on you who once were?" The tinge of sadness imbued in Elijah's voice was sincere but composed.

Kol stood, sensing the new direction of the conversation with disdain. "We are vampire, Elijah. We were nothing before this." And with that, he threw both of his brothers a look of derision before exiting the room.

* * *

><p>"Is Alex here?" Matt asked eagerly as soon as the doorknob had been turned. After swinging it open, James blocked the threshold, appraising Matt with raised eyebrows.<p>

"What's with you guys today?" James mused in deliberation; there was obvious concern shading his eyes darker than usual. "Did something happen that I need to know about?"

"Is she here?" Matt prodded anxiously, peering over James's shoulder and into the quaint house.

James nodded, but his eyes narrowed with suspicion and confusion. He gestured towards the stairs. "Yeah, she's—"he was cut off as Matt shoved past him and bounded up the stairs with determination. The last door on the right was open a crack: her room. He strode right in, searching for evidence that Alex was okay. When his eyes landed on her sprawled upon the bed and gazing out the window blankly, he breathed out in relief.

"What happened?" he asked, grabbing her attention. "Why didn't you wait for me?"

Alex looked surprised as her lips parted and she racked her brain for an excuse. He had shattered her brief daydream of peace and quiet, dousing her with a cold, unpleasant taste of reality. "What are you doing here?" she finally asked, resigned.

"What am _I_ doing here?" He was incredulous, and if he admitted it, aggravated by her chosen deflection. "What are _you_ doing here? You left school and it was only first period."

When she frowned, her inner turmoil was left unconcealed. Worry blossomed further in his chest. He sat beside her on the bed and gave a firm look. "Tell me what happened. Is this about Mr. Saltzman?"

Shaking her head, she snatched up a pillow from the other side of the bed and buried her face in it, wishing she could smother herself. She was utterly embarrassed by her helplessness, by the way Kol made her freeze up in pure terror. But she was _terrified_.

"It's Kol, then," Matt deduced, watching carefully for her reaction. He saw the bastard outside the school himself. That had been the reason why he didn't hesitate to drive to Alex's house and skip the rest of the day.

She tensed up immediately at the Original's name and her face drained of color. He didn't have to see her face to know he guessed correctly.

"What did he do?" He probed anxiously. "Did he hurt you?" '

Curling into a ball, Alex kept her eyes pinched shut and her arms wrapped protectively around her knees. _Don't think about it. Don't think about it_. She shivered. The dream was as vivid as a memory; he _had_ kissed her, he _had_ bit her. All of the sensations lingered on her skin. She ran her tongue over her bottom lip, certain she'd find puncture marks, but discovered none in relief.

Part of her was even more scared by this revelation: he was screwing with her head.

Matt carefully laid a reassuring hand on her shoulder, causing her eyes to snap open. "You're shaking," he said quietly. Within his eyes, she could see an undercurrent of hate directed at her devil. The only thing that surfaced in her mind was: _dangerous._

No matter what, she could not jeopardize Matt. She could not put him in danger, in Kol's path of destruction and terror. Not after everything else he already went through. Not after all he had lost.

"I'm fine," she managed to say, shifting on her side so he couldn't view her face. Lying wasn't her forte, and she knew it. She wore her heart on her sleeve and was much more open than she cared to admit. It was never a bad thing until she met people who wanted to manipulate that trust and exploit it.

"Alex," Matt's voice gently commanded veracity. "Look at me."

Several seconds passed before she could pull her gaze from the window and do as he asked; her bottom lip quivered in silent distress upon seeing his deep-cut worry. She already put him in danger by pushing him that far, however unwillingly it had been.

His eyes were imploring. "Please tell me what's going on. What is he doing to you?"

Damon's words echoed in her head, the perilous stake clear in her mind's eye. _You're not gonna tell anybody what happened because _nothing_ happened. Forget about it._ Forget about it. It would be safer that way.

"Really, Matt," she insisted, finding renewed vitality at the thought of preserving her friend. "It's… it's nothing." Her gaze immediately fell upon her dresser, upon which a simple pearl ring was displayed in front of a copy of _Wuthering Heights._ She swallowed hard. "Things have just… reminded me of her." Tears burned in her eyes; she hastily wiped them away.

Matt followed her gaze with a creased forehead that smoothed with recognition. A poignant mood descended on the room, heavy and obliterating. His fists clenched unconsciously at a string of memories tied to the small object: dainty, little Alex crying in his arms, the flashing lights of police cars, Caroline's mom especially stern-faced and saddened, the blood. _The blood_.

Sinking beside Alex on the bed, he wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close, his eyes never leaving the cursed ring. She leaned into him fondly, holding back the forthcoming tears.

"I'm sorry," he said immediately, the words pouring forth. "I—I should have realized. It's one month until the anniversary—of _course_ it's on your mind."

Alex bit her lip until it turned white and threatened to draw blood; the physical pain was more endurable than the emotional pain. "It's okay," she whispered, but her voice was equally as hollow as her eyes. "It's just… every time I see Kol… I think: _this must be how it felt. This must be how her last moments were_. And I freeze up, because no one should have to die like that. Especially not her. Not Mom."

A mix between a sob and a hiccup escaped her lips, but she pinched the skin on her forearm and let the pain quell her emotional turmoil. A raw ache filled the void of emptiness in her heart; the loneliness and suffering she had to bear that had encroached upon the once easy life she had lived. She couldn't think about this now. Not now.

Rubbing his thumb reassuringly over her arm, he made a solemn vow to her. "We'll get through this, Alex. We'll fight back. You'll see."

A creeping feeling of fear inched along his spine. He hoped he was right.

* * *

><p>Caroline's typically gentle expression warped into a look of disgust. Her nose crinkled. "You want me to <em>what?<em>"

Damon rolled his eyes and sighed dramatically. His arms were folded firmly over his chest; they stood in the boardinghouse study, surrounded by a literature connoisseur's wet dream of books. The sun had fallen from the sky hours ago, and the room glowed in soft, artificial light. His face was tightened in vexation.

"Make it look pretty," he repeated, enunciating each word individually for a patronizing effect as he gestured towards the rest of the room, and in general, the house.

"Pretty," she reiterated slowly, processing the command he had just ordered. Pretty and Damon Salvatore didn't belong in the same sentence. Okay… if she was being honest with herself, he was _very_ pretty. Masculine jaw line, electric eyes, luscious hair, flawless skin... Her eyes narrowed at him. Damn bastard. She chose to believe that the effects of his compellation to be drawn to him back when she was human was still mind-screwing her. Passionate hate did not begin to describe what she really felt towards him.

"Yes," Damon said, on the verge of losing his already thinned patience. "If we're gonna deal with the Klaus situation, we need to have the home field advantage. _So_, we're holding next week's Council meeting here. Which is why you need to _make it pretty_ before then. Understand?"

With a slow nod, Caroline appraised the elder vampire as if he'd turned into a troll. She decidedly went with it. "I'll need help."

"You're a vampire," he said with another eye-roll, headed over to the liquor cabinet. When it came down to it, Jack Daniels was his only friend. Loyal and consistent. "I think you can handle a little decorating solo."

"But it's so _boring_ alone," Caroline came dangerously close to whining. She softened her pitch. "I won't invite the entire decorating committee. Promise!"

Pinching the bridge of his nose, Damon breathed heavily before knocking back his drink. "Fine," he acquiesced, hardly interested in an argument given the circumstances. "Go crazy. Just make sure nothing looks suspicious."

Nodding eagerly, Caroline smiled, already planning out the theme color and eyeing the antique furniture. A thought occurred to her. "But isn't the Mayor having that charity gala tomorrow night?"

His expression was clouded with obscurity. "So?"

"So… Why isn't she hosting this meeting, like she usually does? How're you gonna keep it from being 'suspicious'?"

"Simple," Damon said in a concise, straight to the point tone. "On behalf of one-hundred and fifty years of service, the Salvatore family logging mill is donating new funds to the Mayor's office to continue historic restorations." He gave a poisonously false smile after his rehearsed spiel. "So don't screw this up."

Caroline made a face at him. "Is that really what you're gonna say?"

A heavy, shiver-inducing glare fell on her. Before Damon could retort caustically, the front door opened. Stefan appeared, tight-lipped. Behind him stood Elena, looking uneasy and uncomfortable. It was apparent the pair still had a strained relationship at best.

Damon immediately tensed upon realizing Elena's presence; it was as if a shock of electricity struck him, and his face was wiped clean of any signs of malice, instead kept carefully impassive. He eyed his brother, who returned the look. Stefan had lost the vital set of his shoulders after the summer spent with Klaus; his soul was still in reconstruction, and his lighter humor had been gagged.

And the tension between their vying love for Elena had only grown.

Caroline cleared her throat at the awkward silence, raising her eyebrows pointedly at the trio. The nearly ever-present frown that weighed upon Elena's lips returned; she shifted on her feet before gauchely crossing her arms. Having both of the brothers in one room still discomfited her.

"Well," Caroline said tactlessly. "This is the part where I should say 'I'm gonna go.'"

Elena gave her a pleading look, begging her to stay; she couldn't bear the tormenting company of only herself with Stefan and Damon. There needed to be a buffer.

"Or, you know, _not,"_ Caroline mended after a pause, and tried to put on her cheerful face. "I need your opinions anyway. Sunset orange, or more of a rose garden?" She held up respective color cards with an eager smile, prompting an answer.

Brow creasing, Elena asked, "What?"

"For the Council-meeting-slash-'party'-slash-new-plan-to-kill-Klaus next week," clarified the blonde vampire in a questioning tone. "Didn't Damon tell you?"

Two pairs of eyes settled on Damon, who only glared coldly at Caroline while Stefan averted his eyes to the floor.

"About that," Stefan began mildly, running a hand through his hair with a sigh.

The expression on Elena's face had gone from troubled to severely irked. "Were you guys going to tell me this?" She looked between the brothers, prompting a response with her stiff posture.

"No," Damon said simply. His electric eyes were intent and resolute. "Because you won't be there."

"What he means," Stefan intervened quickly, giving his brother a reproachful look over Elena's shoulder, "is that you'll be busy. You can't be there when things go down."

Elena shook her head with frustration. "You want me on the sidelines again while everyone else risks their lives? _No_. I need to do my part, too."

Stefan lifted his hand to touch her arm reassuringly, but faltered at the last second, thinking better of it. His jaw tightened. "You will be doing your part. It'll be more dangerous for everyone else if you go."

Burying her face in her hands with disconsolation, Elena trudged to the parlor and seated herself with a heavy sigh on the loveseat. The others trailed in behind her, in varying degrees of restlessness as they gazed upon their dear friend with worried eyes.

Elena shook her head again. "Everyone's in danger because of me in the first place," she said quietly, morosely. "This is spinning out of control. Too many people got sucked into this."

"This isn't your fault," Caroline said gently, offering a small smile. "We're your friends, Elena. We're in this with you."

An almost despairing look came across the doppelganger's features, contorting her expression into one of deep inner agony. "But everyone _you_ guys care about…" she trailed off, staring unseeingly ahead at the grand fireplace. "I was talking to Matt earlier…" A noise of sadness came from her throat and she closed her eyes.

As soon as the name had been mentioned, Caroline's posture straightened, her eyes lighting up. "Is he okay? Did he say why he left school? I saw him in the hallway with Alaric… He almost _punched_ him."

Damon's brow furrowed with suppressed anger as he connected the dots: Alex told Matt about Alaric's other half. Beside him, Stefan eyed his brother's reaction curiously, but said nothing. The strange antic had gone unnoticed by the females in the room.

"It's Alex," Elena continued with a tinge of sadness. She and Alex had never been close—Matt ensured they stayed far away from one another, to keep Alex out of the vice-like grip of the supernatural—but Elena felt a deep sense of sadness whenever her thoughts turned to the girl. It was only several houses down from Elena that she lived, and most of the town had been present on that night, long ago, when Alex discovered her mother's body. Repressing the tightness in her chest from resurrected grief of her own losses, Elena tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "We thought Klaus was bad… He's nothing compared to Kol. Not for Alex, at least."

"Kol?" Caroline asked, her forehead creased. "What does he have to do with it?"

"I'm not entirely sure, yet," Elena said wearily; her tumult of emotions weighed heavy on her heart. "Matt said he's taken up some sort of sick fascination with Alex. Like he's obsessed with killing her."

Obliterating silence followed, loaded with questions and thoughts no one wanted to voice. Elena chewed the inside of her lip absently while Damon met Stefan's eyes; his own glinted with the prospect of a new opportunity. Alex's bite mark, the strange behavior… it was all making sense to him.

"We have our in, then," Damon said, hinting at triumph. "We can get to Kol through Alex and send Klaus a message. He might think _he's_ indestructible. But his family isn't."

* * *

><p>Matt's hand hesitated, hovering over the dark heavy door before him as a lingering sense of fear tightened in his chest. Maybe this was a bad idea, after all. But it couldn't wait. Alex's torture couldn't be prolonged any further; things had already gotten too far, and he could no longer bear gazing upon a stranger.<p>

Holding his breath, he picked up the heavy knocker and let it fall back to the wood, resounding hard and loud. The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end and adrenaline coursed through his veins. Each individual throb of his heart thumped through him, reaching to his toes and fingertips. The very last place he wanted to be at was the Mikaelson Manor.

When the handle turned and the door was pulled open, Matt blinked uncomprehendingly, trying to place the face presented before him. Dark hair, dark eyes, solemn expression. He'd been at the ball, with the other Originals. This must be Finn.

Finn's eyes held a masked suspicion as they bored into the young boy with, perhaps unconsciously generated, ruthlessness. He raised a dark eyebrow. "May I help you?"

"Uh…" Matt rubbed at his head, his eyes wandering anywhere but towards the Original's fathomlessly dark ones. "Yeah. Is Rebekah around?"

Eyebrow raising subtly higher, Finn seemed to deliberate something. Interest slowly faded from his eyes, and the somber, almost pained expression returned. "Come in," he said, stepping back to allow Matt entrance. He only murmured, "Rebekah," before walking away and returning to another room. As he opened the door, Matt caught a brief glance of an equally serious Elijah. It occurred to him that he could seek Elijah's help with this matter, but he wasn't very familiar with that Original, and truth be told, he was biased towards Rebekah. For reasons he wasn't quite ready to admit to himself.

Her footfalls were silent, but her presence was radiant and magnetized, making him turn and cant his head as she gracefully slinked down the grand staircase. Stopping midway, she arched an eyebrow, much like Finn, but with an air of hostility and hurt.

"What are _you_ doing here?" She barely repressed a sneer, but restrained herself. Irritation chorded deep in her voice, revealing all.

Matt's eyes fell sheepishly to the floor. Guilt swelled in his heart. "Rebekah…" His eyes returned to hers with regretful apprehension. He swallowed. "I'm sorry."

The two simple words rang true and clear, holding an abundance of sincerity within them. They soaked into the atmosphere and perhaps acted as a bandage for the vampire's feelings. However, upon a further moment, she did not relent; only a fractional portion of hurt yielded in her eyes as she looked down upon him.

Her posture leveled stiffly; her lips faintly puckered in deliberation. "My family may have its treachery, Matt, but they are my family. I am one of them."

Spurred from grasping at the hairline fracture in her resolute composure, Matt took an unconscious step towards her. "I know you are. Rebekah—I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said what I did—I didn't mean it. It's just… Kol…" He stopped, suddenly remembering himself. With a wary glance, he checked their surroundings.

"He isn't here," Rebekah answered his unspoken question with the impassive mask.

Relief poured itself into Matt's tensed muscles, cooling him. "Can we talk, Rebekah? Please?"

Rebekah stared piercingly into the quarterback's eyes, trying to discern a shade of deception. The observation came up blank, which reinforced the brighter image she had held of Matt after he had the kindness in him to lend her his jacket. Sweet, caring, sincere. All of the things she lacked in her existence. All of the things she yearned for.

Doubt troubled her mind, as it always did; a small yet lethal dagger that prodded at her peace and created turmoil instead, killing happiness along the way. A thousand years of experience taught her so much, but perhaps the most important lesson instilled had been of trust. Trust was no longer something she was capable of.

Now this simple boy challenged everything she had learned. She wanted to trust him. She did.

Maybe she shouldn't.

She _knew_ she shouldn't.

Biting her lip, she let out a long breath as she eyed him once more, adding distaste into her otherwise blank look. "Fine."

* * *

><p>A small square of light cut its way through the darkness, golden and divine in the deepest pits of black. A sheer curtain faintly obscured the view, but otherwise, Kol could see every look upon her face perfectly. His fangs, still withdrawn into the gums of his mouth where they remained hidden from casual view, burned with hunger. The aching feeling had guided his actions for days now. But it was his ecstasy. It was the thrill of the hunt; to quench the thirst would not only be immensely satisfying, but something of a victory.<p>

Her blood would be his.

Sheer instinct had guided him outside his prey's window after the irate discussion with Elijah. He was growing impatient. The trick he had played on her mind earlier that morning had hardly been anything: he wanted _more_. To feel her blood on his fingers, to taste it on his tongue, to tear away her comforts and replace them with baleful reminders. He wanted to break her, to see that sickening innocence fray from her eyes and crack beyond reparations. Giving her a dose of reality would be good for her; he'd be doing her a favor. It was nauseating, how horribly naïve she was.

But the fear that was so often etched in her eyes was worth all this waiting. It was the aroma of feast before tasting it. Delectable. Enriching.

At the very moment, Alex wore an unveiled look of restlessness that made Kol's fangs ache further. The cell phone pressed to her ear was tucked upon the crook of her shoulder as she brushed her hair with frenzied strokes.

"You're sure she wants to help?" Alex asked with a lace of doubt. She frowned at her reflection in the vanity mirror before her.

"Positive," a male voice answered unwaveringly. Fire raged inside Kol from a deep root of loathing: Matt. The source of this entire premise.

Alex remained silent a moment; a suspecting look cast on her features.

Matt sighed, sensing her hesitation. "Well she didn't say it in so many words… But she will. I think."

The little bird's face folded with the weight of apprehension. "You think." It was a statement, inflectionless, blank, yet filled with flat qualm.

"Listen, Alex," Matt said, invigorated by a sense of purpose in safety, "it'll be fine. I'll talk to her more tomorrow, at the charity gala. She'll help. I know it. We'll take care of this."

Nodding, Alex set her brush back upon the vanity table, pursing her lips in contemplation. "I know we will," she said quietly. Her expression deceived her words. "Just… don't get hurt over this, Matt. I couldn't live with myself."

"Don't worry about me," reassurance did nothing to minimize her stress. "Just… get some sleep. 'Night, Alex."

The line clicked off; she was left staring back at her reflection, displaying equal amounts of hope and dread. She hoped Matt was right—Kol was only a minor setback, a transient issue, like a bully that loses interest over time. Deep in her heart, though, where the simplest of truths dwelled in black and white, she knew that wasn't the case. An insidious feeling constantly slithered in her veins; her muscles were now constantly taut with attentiveness to the point of broaching paranoia. Every move in her peripherals provoked terror and suspicion.

Kol had inched his way under her skin, and she was at the mercy of his caprices.

Like the past several nights, she knew sleep would not come. She could not hide within illusions of another reality, another place, another person. No, she would be forced to endure whatever cruel, sick thing he had planned for her tonight. After casting a wary glance out her bedroom window, she slid under her sheets and snuggled close to her pillow. Her heart fluttered in her chest with vile anticipation. She pinched her eyes shut.

Outside, Kol smiled darkly. Impatience was hardly anything when he truly considered it. A hunt typically lasted for seconds, perhaps minutes. But this—this extended rush of power—was endearing. The question was: would it hold his interest for long, or would the game grow boring and peak?

Watching her in that moment, he knew his attentions were not yet dulled. Her heart pounded so hard, he could hear the rush of blood through her veins, the delicate breathing as her chest rose and fell.

What a fragile little creature she was. She will shatter.

* * *

><p><strong>This bounced around, but I was happy with the result. I want you guys to see bits of the subplots. Matt and Rebekah, those sly Salvatores, badass Kol… And a little back story on Alex's mom. She wasn't killed by vampires, by the way. Just wanted to clarify. You won't learn about her dad yet. (These things will explain her fear issues, too.) So please tell me how this what and what you diddidn't like? No sexy moments in this, but there will be at the charity gala. Consider it me giving back to you guys. (-; Don't forget to follow me on tumblr!**

**Review!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Vampire Diaries.**

**A/N: Oh goodness, you guys are amazing. I love each and every one of you. (-: I'm so sorry for the wait—my life is crazy busy right now. Your reviews truly help me out, though. (-: So I'm splitting this chapter up into two sections, I believe. Here we go!**

* * *

><p><strong>Five<strong>

"Is this how you spend your time, now, brother?" Rebekah drawled from behind Kol in her bored voice, pulling him away from the blissful dream he had forced upon Alex. Dawn was approaching in the eastern sky, a clamshell of pink light, and the dulcet songs of birds filled the cool, dewy air. Her blonde hair glowed in the light like a deceitful halo. "You can't play video games like normal boys? You've turned to stalking prey, now?"

"Isn't that what you're doing, sis?" Kol inquired mockingly, eyes glinting, lips curled upwards. The interruption irked him, but he would find an advantage. He always had the advantage. "Trying to be a normal girl? That boy, Matt, will hardly be enough for you. You get bored too easily. Just eat him already."

Rebekah seemed to consider this a moment; in truth, she studied her brother curiously as his gazed returned to the human girl's window, unreadable but deadly all the same.

"You kill yours, I'll kill mine," she challenged.

Kol barked a laugh, arching an elegant eyebrow. "I'll call your bluff. No worries, though, dear sister. Little Alex's time will come soon enough." He gave a patronizing look. "I do hope I can say the same for Matt." The quarterback's name was spat with venom as if a profanity.

A sneer threatened to breach Rebekah's lips, but she restrained, her face tightening. She was hardly one to suffer from sudden bursts of _protective_ emotion; anger was always quick to boil, but all else remained detached. Until now. Memory from her earlier conversation with Matt surfaced; the genuine contrite look on his face, the concern in his eyes, and finally, his beseeching request that she aid him to diffuse her brother's lethal advances on Alex. A mix of anger and jealousy burned within her as she gazed towards the girl's dark window. What was so special about her that she attracted both her brother's and Matt's attentions?

"Last time I checked," Rebekah remarked snidely, "you didn't play with your food."

Kol smirked. "And I have missed out on a great deal. Not to worry—I'll soon make up for that."

There was a pregnant pause, a thing alien to the more alike of the siblings. Rebekah shifted her stance, angling her head to the window once more. "You plan to kill her?"

"What better is there to do? Humans serve no other purpose, Rebekah." His tone was nearly chastising, yet with some deeper malice. "They have their uses, and then they are no more to us."

An unsettling feeling coiled in Rebekah's stomach; a sensation she had not experienced in years.

"You say that as if we were not spawned from their very life-force, brother," she said quietly, coolly, keeping an air of indifference, yet probing subtly all the same. "As if we have no similar aspects to them."

Kol did not bother with an answer; his expression said more. There was a line of disdain between his eyebrows, true revulsion at his sister's words. The earlier conversation with Elijah came to mind, and he quickly came to loathe the newfound semblance within his siblings. A scowl settled itself upon his lips. His narrowed eyes returned to Alex's window piercingly.

"You're quickly turning into a leech, Bekah," Kol said, hardly trimming the harshness of his tone. "Sucking the fun from things. Did ninety years in a coffin take its toll? I thought you were stronger."

Rebekah's face scrunched at him with anger. "Whatever."

Left alone, Kol eagerly picked up the torment where he had left off. Alex tossed and whimpered in her sleep.

* * *

><p>"So guests will be arriving in less than an hour," Caroline was saying, her face bright and cheery, her hair alight in the span of sun. There was a clipboard in her hand, propped against her hip. A pen contemplatively tapped at her chin. "But we still have to nail down some things, first." Holding up a metal stake, Caroline's blonde eyebrow quirked. "Literally."<p>

Alex rubbed at her eyes wearily, barely suppressing a yawn. The school day had been painstakingly slow, and although there had been no lethal interruptions produced by Kol, she was on edge. Setting up for the charity gala had hardly been on her list of top things to do that afternoon, but she promised Caroline her help the prior week.

"Got it," Alex said, snatching up a handful of metal stakes along with the rest of the planning committee. Caroline smiled at her; something lingered in her expression, something of knowing or suspicion, but deciding against voicing this, the blonde turned and sauntered off to organize tables with an air of distraction. Alex was inwardly relieved at this—she couldn't deal with someone else suspecting Kol's foul play. She couldn't endanger anyone. Matt was right: they would fight this. _She_ would fight this.

An uneasy coil wrapped itself in her stomach, nearly squeezing away all hope. She didn't yet know how.

As she headed off towards the back gardens of the Lockwood Mansion, a small metal trinket bounced against the skin at her wrist. For perhaps the fourth time that day, she studied the little charm bracelet; it was a simple silver chain with a hummingbird charm, which incased the vervain. Matt had gifted her with it after discovering her lack thereof; he had made certain she drank some, as well. Now she would never be without.

White tents towered on the grounds outside, acting as a shield for its soon-to-be occupants from the sun; sturdy white twine was pulled taut from each crest down to the ground, where they had been staked into the earth. A few strands of twine fluttered loosely in the breeze, hinting at their need of attention.

Beginning the small task of reinforcing the stakes, Alex was easily lost to her thoughts as she went through the motions mechanically.

Kol was playing at her weaknesses, she knew. He was preying on her gentleness, her hope, the morsel of faith she had for better days. Everything about her was easily observable. She was an open book, a sky clear of obscuring clouds. She used to think it took bravery and strength to wear her emotions on her sleeve—after her mother's murder, she had become despondent and depressed. Matt had coaxed her from the hole she dug herself into; she learned who she truly was, at heart. Baring her thoughts and feelings for all to see had been something of liberating beauty to her. But now, it seemed indescribably foolish. All that she showed was open to exploitation. She was at the mercy of others.

This train of thought ended when a prevailing sense of pride blossomed in her chest. She _was_ strong. Just not in a typical way. So how could she use her strengths to rid herself of the calamity known as Kol?

Perhaps the most important question that probed her mind was: what are Kol's weaknesses?

Everyone had one, didn't they? Thinking of him, the look in his eyes, the set of his shoulders, she doubted this. Kol seemed impervious; he was stone, fire, lava. He was an elemental force of destruction. What could possibly be such a creature's undoing? And how could she expect to get over her frozen fear of him in order to achieve anything?

There was one thing she was certain about: Kol would not grow bored with her anytime soon. In fact, he had said as much in the dream he created the previous night. The dream… Without even having an audience present to her mind's wanderings, she blushed apple red. The things he did to her—made_ her_ do with him—were things she never thought of before. She was only human, a species ruled by emotion. There was only so much she could take before she cracked under the pressure, under him...

She could not let her thoughts go _there_.

And Kol obviously knew this.

An ever confounding consideration surfaced. Of all the ways he could torture her, why would he choose a _sexual_ means? What did he enjoy so much about this game? It wasn't as if she was very experienced; in truth, she had no experience whatsoever. What could possibly be of interest to him?

Maybe the answer was simple. Maybe Kol wasn't so different from other boys. Sex. He was after sex, just sex. And maybe he thought she was an easy target.

But no, that couldn't be it. He _was_ different from other boys—he was a thousand years old!

Stabbing pain jolted through Alex's hand suddenly; she had been so caught up, she hadn't realized what she was doing. She cried out and dropped the hammer she held to the ground, letting it thump in the grass as she cradled the injured appendage to her chest tenderly. There was only a small scrape oozing a tiny bit of blood; other than that, the pain was only temporary and throbbing.

"Looks like someone needs a band-aid," said a cocky voice from behind Alex. "Or are you just gonna let your favorite Original go at it when he gets here?"

It felt like someone ran an ice cube down her spine. Her days now consisted of strange encounters with Kol and Damon. Who was next? Edward Cullen?

Oh, the things she would give to see Kol or Damon sparkle.

Bracing herself, Alex turned and faced the dark-haired vampire, still holding gingerly onto her hand.

"Who told you?" She asked with a frown.

Damon smirked in the way that only Damon could. "Tinkerbell."

This was definitely not good. The last person she wanted to know about Kol's strange penchant was Damon. He was a scheming bastard.

Turning to busy herself, Alex tried to say casually, "Well, her sources are wrong." Her casual tone needed work; it was wavering and thin.

"Somehow I doubt that." When Damon's hand brushed against her neck, against the bandage she had gotten entirely used to feeling, she froze in place. "I knew _something_ was up. I just didn't know it'd be this good."

She still couldn't look at him, see his smug face. Not without revealing every ounce of dread she felt.

"Is this why you came here? To tease me?"

Damon's eyes rolled. "That's hardly worth my time." His stance hardened with animosity. "I believe you and I made an arrangement upon which you agreed to never breathe _a word_ about your little run-in with Alaric." Those electric blue eyes were widening intensely in that psychotic murderer way of his. "Now what exactly got lost in translation?"

Alex wondered for a moment who Damon was truly getting all this information from before it hit her: Elena. Matt and Elena were close. Of course he would talk to her. But about _Alex's_ problems? And then Elena talked to Damon and Stefan of course. She scowled.

"That was before you threatened me," Alex said, rounding on him with crossed arms. She quickly remembered herself, her frailness to his strength, her sudden position of weakness. The _humanity_ she held within. A single step didn't put enough space between them.

"I would hardly call it a _threat_," said Damon, a dangerous gleam in his eye. "You should have mentioned lover-boy."

"You didn't ask."

The counter was quick and rash; a product of anger and exhaustion, provoking a hard, silencing glare from the vampire. Alex quickly took another step back, shrinking into herself. The anger that had flashed in her eyes transferred into fear. There was ice within her. Ice, glaciers, hollowness, void of anything and everything but raw terror. Images assaulted her quickly: the blood on the walls, the floor; her mother's pale hands and wide, horrified eyes.

In a blur, it all rushed forth into her mind's eye. Just as quickly she blinked and returned to the moment in which Damon was in her face, his eyes impenetrable and palpably malicious.

"I won't ask again," he gritted, making her realize that he had been speaking. Her hands shook in tremors. She couldn't breathe. "Who else knows?"

All she could conceive was the frozen terror she was drowning in. How did one break through ice? How could she pull away from it?

Pressure. To shatter it, apply pressure.

But she couldn't do it. Luckily, she didn't yet have to.

"Damon."

Caroline appeared. The clipboard had been replaced by a roll of decorative crepe paper. Her brow was creased, and she looked strangely shy,

Damon hadn't bothered to turn around. "Don't you have a punch bowl to spike?" He asked bitterly. It was obvious there was tension between the two.

Sighing heavily, Caroline jutted her hip and glared at the back of his head. "My mom wants to see you."

Finally, his electric gaze wavered. He continued to stare Alex down as he muttered, "We'll finish this later," under his breath, then turned and walked away.

Lingering by the patio, Caroline gave Alex an apologetic look that appeared more contrite than the moment called for. For some reason, Alex felt sick. Then Caroline followed Damon and disappeared.

* * *

><p>The door opened before Matt was even on the front steps. A bout of nervousness stirred in his abdomen; he half-expected a male Original to appear and act as the protective older brothers he suspected they could be. Instead, he was greeted by the sight of Rebekah, and immediately wished for Finn or Elijah—even Klaus—because she could probably hear his heart pounding.<p>

Despite the rather solemn conversation they'd had the previous day, she offered him the smallest of smiles. Red accentuated her fair skin tone; the dress was flowing, though clenched to her every curve. And she most definitely had curves.

Her smile disappeared, replaced by a scowl thrown over a shoulder. Klaus approached silently as he sized up Matt. The hybrid was exquisitely dressed, no doubt by purpose of attracting Caroline's attention. His jaw, cleanly shaven, was set. He raised an eyebrow; his eyes left Matt's as if discarding him as nothing.

"Rebekah," there was something lining his tone, akin to warning. "Watch yourself."

Huffing, Rebekah stepped outside and pointedly shut the door in her brother's face. Her gaze returned to Matt. "Shall we?"

Taking a final look at her, Matt swallowed hard and led the way to the truck.

This was going to be quite a night.

Once they were on the road, en route to the Lockwood Mansion, Matt broke the descending silence.

"Did you think about it?"

_It_ being the conversation they had prior to him asking her to the charity gala. The so-called elephant in the truck. His grip tightened on the steering wheel when he thought of Kol. Luckily, Alex was not planning to stay and attend the gala.

Rebekah's bottom lip stuck out just the slightest; she stared out the window, at the dark foliage they passed. "I did."

Matt gave her a probing look. "And?"

"Kol is a capricious creature, Matt," she said simply, remaining indifferent. "He'll grow bored of her soon enough."

Unconsciously, Matt ground his teeth together. "Seriously? That's what you have to say? What happens when he grows bored of her, Rebekah? What happens to Alex, then?"

"Why do you care so much?" Scorn weighed heavily in her tone, biting at her escort.

Becoming once more placid, Matt frowned. He remained quiet for several moments. Streetlight filled the space of the car as they passed through town, glowing like copper.

"When my sister died, Alex never left me." His voice was quiet, careful, considering. There was something melancholic in its undercurrents. "I was never without her for more than an hour. Her light never faltered. It was so different than the little girl who caved in on herself so long ago—when her mom died, and her dad left. But she was there for me, no matter what. She was strong for me. That's what we do, Rebekah. We take care of each other. Wouldn't you care if something was happening to one of your brothers?" Rebekah said nothing, only stared. "She's like a sister to me. She's the only family I have left."

The grave words sunk into the air. Rebekah was no less frustrated. She shook her head.

"There's nothing I can do about Kol."

And maybe she really didn't want to do anything.

* * *

><p>After reinforcing the tents, readying tables, and deliberating music with a group of juniors, Alex successfully retired from her role on the planning committee and slinked over to a table on the far end of the ballroom, where she had left her belongings.<p>

The screen of her cell phone was lit up, displaying three missed voicemails. James had tried calling her and insisted she find him immediately. That was over an hour ago.

Guests had already trickled in. Dress codes were always strictly enforced; tonight's consisted of casual dresses and suits. Although Alex hadn't intended to stay, she bore a lemon-yellow sundress that reached mid-thigh in order to avoid any disparaging looks from the mayor. It brushed her legs as she walked towards the front door.

"Alex!"

Stopping, Alex glanced over her shoulder to see a girl from the planning committee, Jane, approach her in an olive green dress. She appeared flustered, her face a blotchy red from haste.

"Caroline wanted you to do one quick thing before you leave. One of the servers broke a heel. Would you substitute for her for a few minutes?"

Obviously Jane was hoping to get out of it herself. Alex spared one glance back at the front door where more couples milled inside. Her shoulders drooped, but she nodded. Kol wasn't here yet; could a few more minutes hurt? She would look for James afterwards.

She didn't have to look far.

After serving drinks to several dozen people, Alex heard a clatter of commotion from behind. Peering over her shoulder, she discovered James stumbling his way through mingling crowds, moving with determination. Dropping the task at hand in a heartbeat, Alex pushed through people to reach him. When she laid a hand on his arm, he pulled back and pushed her.

Alex staggered backwards in surprise, arms flailing for purchase. If it had not been for the unlucky gentleman standing behind her, she would have fallen to the ground. James froze when his eyes met hers.

"Alex?" Something about the glaze in his eyes hinted at the consumption of alcohol, though not enough to render him drunk. He stepped close to her, holding her tightly by the arm. "Where have you been? Why didn't you call me back?"

Taken aback by the anger in his voice, she blinked. "I've been here, decorating."

"Why didn't you check in with me? You should have _told_ me."

"But… you've never had me check in, before."

As the siblings stared at one another, Alex realized the mistake of pointing this out. Though he would have never admitted it, James was insecure with his role as a guardian. He was clueless, yet genuinely trying.

"Things are changing, Alex." Something about the way he said this sent shivers down her spine. "Things aren't what they—"his gaze lowered, and he stopped himself abruptly. His face drained of color. "What's that?"

Dumbly, Alex looked down. Her hand reached up and brushed the fabric of a bandage. Immediately, she stilled, horrified at herself.

How could she have forgotten about the bite? She had hidden it well for the past several days—how could she have forgotten, now?

It didn't matter how. He knew. There was a horribly suspicious look in his eyes, accompanied by slow-boiling anger.

"I—"

"Alex," he said firmly, breaking off any attempt at a lie. "What is that?"

"I can explain," she said quickly. They were beginning to draw attention to themselves, pulling at the gazes of those closest to them. She tucked her hair behind her ears sheepishly. "Can it wait till we get home?"

He looked as if he were about to say no when he paused and observed their surroundings. It seemed he hadn't even realized there were many others around. He nodded; his mouth had settled into a fine line.

"Fine," he said. "But I swear to God, Alex, you had better tell me the truth. Got it?"

Nodding quickly, she tried to reassure whatever doubts he held about her. Only a second later did the sheriff show up at his elbow, containing an air of worry. She looked straight at James. "We're meeting in the library. Five minutes." Then she moved off to another Founding Family.

Alex frowned. "You're staying?"

"Of course," said James indignantly. "Last time I missed a meeting, Damon Salvatore wormed his way into the heart of the Council. Listen, I'll see you later. You'd better stick around—I'm keeping an eye on you."

As he slipped away, Alex simply stood as the words sunk in. _You'd better stick around_. That was the very last thing she wanted to do. Yet, as she studied the way James began to stumble slightly on his feet again, she knew it was what was best. He would need a designated driver, and Matt would have his hands full.

So she would keep an eye on James, too. But who would watch Kol?

Once the majority of the guests had arrived, they were gathered outside whilst the Mayor made a speech on behalf of the children's charity. Alex couldn't pay attention to the carefully crafted words; her eyes perused distractedly through the crowd, searching for a face she didn't want to see.

James sat at a table several feet away from her, nursing his fourth beer. The slant of his shoulders and pinch of his eyes told her that the Council meeting hadn't gone well. Although she had insisted upon leaving early, he wouldn't have it. Something was up with him, per usual, but she was uncertain as to what that was, and quickly growing distressed.

Meredith and Alaric were also occupants of another table, chatting animatedly about something. Damon had only made sparse appearances; Caroline rushed around the event, managing this and that; Matt had yet to be spotted.

The Original family was all present, including Esther, save for the two youngest.

Alex bounced back and forth on her feet, rubbing her hands on the front of her dress to dry the hints of nervousness. She had kept as busy as possible with tasks from Caroline, but things had recently slowed down; there were no longer any distractions from suspenseful thoughts.

Someone brushed up beside her; she flinched and sidestepped immediately, curling her fingers into fists and squeezing with panic. When her eyes fell on familiar blue ones, she calmed.

"Matt," she breathed. "When did you get here?"

"About a half hour ago," he said, scanning faces around them carefully. "I've been looking for you. Can we talk?"

Alex recognized that tone. It was the tone cushioned to prepare her for disappointment. "She said no, didn't she?"

Tousling a hand through his short hair, he returned her look.

"It's okay," Alex said quietly. She could feel a clamor of something deep within her—distress, perhaps—because part of her had hoped for Rebekah's aid. "We'll figure something else out."

He shook his head. "But we shouldn't _have_ to. Something's bothering her. I just don't know what."

Alex looked beyond him, her gaze trailing over the mayor, the sheriff. These were people of power in the community, and yet they held no power against Kol. Who, besides Rebekah, could have such influence, such an ability?

"We'll figure something out," she whispered quietly, mostly for his benefit rather than her own. Then she saw them, truly saw them—the Originals. Elijah, Finn, Klaus, Esther.

A spark of an idea hit her.

Elijah was too devoted to family; he did not carry through his initial plan to kill Klaus, after all. Finn was apparently much more of a pacifist than his siblings. Esther… Alex didn't know what to make of her.

That left Klaus. He was not tethered to family as Elijah was; he was not weak in mind like Finn was; he was smarter than Rebekah, perhaps the most intimidating. Could he take down Kol for her? Would there be any way to strike up an alliance?

Did she dare try?

Matt followed her gaze. "No." He spoke heatedly, abruptly. There was a lingering sense of self-doubt. "No way."

She bit her lip. "We have to at least consider it, don't we?"

Matt's response died on his lips; they hadn't noticed the gathering of people parting, the couples hand in hand. The mayor struck up the band. They stood in the center of the floor, unmoving, as those around them swayed gently. Matt appeared torn.

"Go find her," Alex said, giving him a small smile. Her insides squirmed at the idea of being left alone, but perhaps Rebekah was not a lost cause. Besides, she was Matt's date. It was only apt that they share the first dance together. Alex could not in her right conscience take precedence over all this. "We can talk after."

It always took some urging for Matt to leave a crisis unattended, but Alex had managed it. She had been skirting the outside of the dance floor when Damon stepped in front of her. There was a cocky smirk on his lips.

"Alex," he said, snatching up her hand and leading her onto the floor. "Dance with me."

"Damon, stop—"

"I _insist_." The words were harsher and resolute, coercing her. He pulled her stiffly into position, though was graceful. Alex felt her cheeks heat up. Damon's touch was repulsive, and he wasn't very subtle about truly not wanting to dance with her.

"What are you doing?" She finally asked after several moments of silence.

"Finishing our conversation," he shrugged. "I'm not going to let some little girl screw everything up."

Alex's forehead creased. She had to tilt her head back to look up at him. "What are you talking about?"

"You're so clueless, it's pathetic sometimes. Doesn't your brother tell you anything? Don't you ever ask?" He looked at her like he would a child, eliciting a pang of anger.

Her eyes narrowed, but when she thought about his questions, she realized something shocking: he was right. James never truly told her anything; not about council meetings, not about his life, not anymore. Not for a while. And she had stopped asking.

Was there such a thing as giving too much space? Is that what had happened? After everything that happened to their family, Alex found herself questioning James less and less. What he had to do to get by was his business, only. But he didn't have anyone like Matt to lean on during the dark times. How _did_ he get by? What was this mess he was getting himself into?

Did she really want to know?

"My advice," Damon said severely, "you start asking. It'll make it a hell of a lot easier when this all blows up."

Alex blinked. What did he mean, when this all blows up? It seemed she and James would have a long talk after all. Her most imminent threat stood in front of her, though, and she could sense his increasing agitation as every second passed. Looking behind him as if pulled by a magnet, her eyes fell on a dark-haired girl, worrying away off to the side.

"There's Elena," she said; the words felt numb to her lips, she was so lost in thought. Would he ever leave?

Damon tensed to stone. His head turned so fast, she could have sworn he used supernatural speed. When his eyes landed on Elena, they widened incomprehensibly before narrowing. She hadn't yet noticed him, and continued on her way into the mansion. "Katherine," he muttered under his breath, storming through the couples and disappearing after her.

The night was turning into a tangled mess. Katherine? Elena's doppelganger? She was _here_? Nothing Damon said made sense to her, and she began to question his sanity, as she did after ever moment she ever spent speaking to him. One thing did make sense, though: she needed to speak to James. Before she could head off in any general direction, a daunting figure appeared before her, much like Damon had.

_Breathe_, she told herself. She had been expecting this. It was inevitable—he would of course be invited, and he would of course take advantage of such an opportunity. It was precisely the reason why she hadn't planned to stay in the first place, but she had been deterred by James's oddities.

"Darling," Kol said blithely, in that nearly sadistic way of his. He held out a hand, palm upward, eyes glinting. "Care to dance?"

The ice returned. The hollowness. The fear. She pressed her lips together to think of a response, but came up short.

Kol took her hand in his as a devilish smile played at his lips. He moved close to her, brushing his lips against her ear. "Keep in mind that my dear mother is present tonight. Wouldn't want to upset her, would you?"

His hands were on her. Truly and really this time—it was not a dream, she was certain. Her blood was spiked with adrenaline; it coursed through her veins, pulsating to her fingertips.

_Breathe_.

Everyone around them turned into a blur. There was only her tormentor, front and center; victorious in his attempts to unsettle her. There were sirens blaring in her ears from years ago; old blood stained her hands.

There was only Kol, in this hellish landscape.

They hadn't started dancing yet. Alex was too scared to move, too afraid to apply pressure to the ice because if it shattered, what would it reveal?

At first, Alex thought it was the lighting: his pupils dilated. Then Kol's mirthful look switched to one of deep frustration in a second.

"How curious," he said, grazing his fingers over her exposed collarbone, purposefully sending shudders through her. His pupils dilated once more as he held onto her gaze, but nothing happened. Running a hand along her arm until it reached her wrist, he held it up, much like he had in the dream he had created the other day at school. His considered the hummingbird charm for a moment, then smiled sickly at her. "You're making this game all the more endearing, do you realize that?"

Her stomach sank to her toes. This game, this chess game, a gamble of death. She would find a way out of this. Matt's words returned to her: _We'll take care of this. I promise._

She needed to do something, but he was already a step ahead of her.

"I suppose it's my turn, now."

* * *

><p><strong>Things are about to get crazy. What do you think Kol's next move will be? (-; <strong>

**Should the next chapter be a lot of Kol/Alex? (-;**

**Review(:**


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Vampire Diaries. **

**A/N: I'm terribly sorry guys—I know this story has kind of been on the backburner for a while. I swear I have ADD. My mind flits from one thing to the next. I was rereading reviews and let me tell you—you guys really help me to get back on track. Life has been crazy lately, but I'm still making plenty of time for writing. I hope to update this soon again. And sorry for the short chapter! It's late and I really wanted to put something out there for you guys. **

* * *

><p><strong>Six<strong>

"You have the strength to fight back, Rebekah," Matt said quietly. "Do you know what I would give to have that ability?"

They had taken a stroll on the grounds towards the lake. The gala had quickly become stuffy when her siblings had arrived, and her mother's piercing gaze managed to unsettle both the vampire and her date. Their fingers were not weaved together, as other couples were, but occasionally brushed one another's with the touch of a butterfly wing, something only recognized by averted gazes.

Rebekah's eyes were absently trained on the silver medallion of light reflected upon the lake. She bore no readable expression.

"One does not always want what one has," she said in a murmur, as if reciting past words.

"You could stop all of this," Matt continued to press. "Klaus. Kol. All of it."

"You're wrong." Her tone was simple yet detached. "You haven't a clue what it's like—to be the only girl among the boys, glass surrounded by steel. I couldn't stop them. They regard me as too weak."

The following moment was silent. Rebekah rarely relinquished her hardened demeanor to say something obviously held to close to the heart. Matt stopped, his expression grave.

"I never thought about it like that." He was staring at her pensively, searching for whatever weaknesses her brothers could possibly see within her. He saw nothing but strength. That was the Rebekah he knew.

As if an idea suddenly struck her, Rebekah's features soured. "What about _her_ makes you regard her differently? Why is she so special?"

Matt's forehead creased in confusion. "Who?"

"_Alex_," Rebekah hissed, though managed to contain most of her loathing.

The moment Matt put the pieces of this odd fit of jealously together, his forehead smoothed once more. He placed a hand on Rebekah's arm, giving her a reassuring smile. "Alex is my best friend, Rebekah. It's just… different, somehow. I don't really know how to explain it. But we're _only_ friends."

Rebekah's jealously had not been mitigated.

* * *

><p>Alex had never experienced such an insidious feeling; it seemed only Kol could provoke it. Goosebumps pebbled her arms; a tingling, slithering feeling crawled beneath her skin, down her spine. Her knees felt weak like jelly and vertigo flooded her stomach. Her lip was already chapped from chewing nervously on it as she stared into the eyes of her tormentor.<p>

She was aware of everything; every minute move of his, the shifts within his eyes, the predatory smile, the achievement of grace in his stance even as he forced her body to move. One of his hands held firmly to her hip—it was not merely rested there, nor gentle. It was the grasp of a viper before it would strike. His other trapped her small hand, dominating it. She didn't dare move. The smallest of pressures was of immense strength; what would become of her if she tried to flee?

"And here I thought I'd have to hunt you down," Kol said into her ear, forcing her to gnash her teeth together. "You hardly seemed in a celebratory mood when we last spoke."

He means it, she realized. _Hunt you down._ Her stomach hollowed.

"Are you so shy tonight, dear?" He inquired, his eyes crinkling at the edges. "If you continue being so coy, I'll think you no longer want my company." His grip tightened on her hand, her waist. He smiled. "Wouldn't want that, would you?"

Alex pinched her eyes shut. "I had to stay," was all she said.

"Of course you did," he murmured, something deep lacing his tone. He could feel her heartbeat pulsate in her fingertips; he could hear it in her chest. She was afraid. Deathly afraid. He pulled her closer, forcing their faces to be mere inches apart. Her breath brushed his chin.

Alex tried her hardest to retain some sort of distance between them. Where was Matt? Where was James? Would Damon help her?

Would she want to risk anyone else?

No. That was the simple answer. She was on her own for this, as she should be. She had to learn how to apply pressure to her wall of ice, the fear that held her back from everything. Think. _Think_.

Kol stopped as if sensing her attempt at resilience. Another smile crept upon his lips. "I think I know just the thing to settle your nerves, darling."

And just like that, he was whisking her off the dance floor in a vice-like grip, pulling her with sheer ease towards the Lockwood mansion. Alex considered digging her heels into the ground, but surely it would only provoke him to be increasingly rougher. She was starting to understand that Kol liked his challenges; he liked taking away her control. He wanted her to struggle.

Hardly anyone noticed as she passed by them. It didn't look like Kol was dragging her away, but more so like he was holding her hand. Alex's gaze flitted around, searching desperately for someone that could end this. Klaus. Where was Klaus? She hadn't yet spoken to him—she didn't even know if he would laugh in her face or not. But he was the only person who could beat Kol. Wasn't he?

"I'll snap the neck of the first person who suspects anything," Kol said blithely, warningly. "Hush now."

Alex squeezed her eyes shut, praying for a miracle, for anything. Where was he taking her? What did he plan to do?

Dread pooled in her chest as he dragged her up the stairs and down a mostly empty hallway. A whimper escaped her lips, causing him to look at her darkly, his eyes death and dark.

And just like that, using his preternatural speed, he had pulled her into a spare bedroom and shut the door, fastening the lock behind him.

Alex's eyes widened. She felt sick.

Kol drank in the sight of her. Her yellow sundress clung to her body, revealing her topography to its barest foundation. The neckline dipped low in front, revealing the swells of supple breasts that rose and fell with her quick breathing. The thin material stopped at her mid-thigh, giving a wonderful view of her legs. They were not long by any means, but flawless and smooth. He could just imagine them wrapping around him as he sunk his fangs into the flesh of her neck where he could see her pulse throb erratically. Dark locks of hair fell onto her shoulder. Her lips were parted in fear, pink a plump.

Oh, the things he would do to that body.

"You've taken away the most enjoyable aspect of this little game of ours, little Alex," he started as he advanced on her slowly, like a tiger stalking its prey. His eyes glittered in the light. "I did so enjoy those dreams of yours. But now you've gone and destroyed that." His gaze dropped to the hummingbird charm on her bracelet that encased the vervain. Then his lips curved upwards slowly, dangerously, as his eyes met hers. "That's all right, though. All the more reason to press things forward."

Her breath rattled and her eyes remained trained on him, watching his every move, his every shift. Add pressure to the ice, she reminded herself. Pressure. What could she do, right now, that would break that ice and let her get through this? What did he want from her right now?

In a heartbeat, Kol had grabbed her and shoved her up against the wall, his hard and lean body pressing into hers. He appraised her wickedly, brushing her hair back from her face while he leaned close to her neck and breathed in the scent of her delectable blood. Her heartbeat was loud and thumping, wet and enticing, urging him to feed. An insane rush of power flowed through him. This is what he loved most about being a vampire. The richness of power. The _vitality_ one could not achieve by being merely human.

He would make it last. He wasn't sure how long it would, but it _would_ last. His brothers were so engrossed in their mother's every wishes; he needed a distraction, an outlet for his anger. He needed defiance and rebellion. Alex was so innocent, so terribly naïve and young and pure. She was the farthest from him as there could be. He wanted to corrupt her, to spread his poison and leave his mark before watching her eyes drain of life.

He just wanted to have some fun.

Kol could feel her heartbeat in his own chest, he was so close to her. He blinked. In one instant, he felt like a child again. He remembered Elijah and Niklaus bickering with one another, trying to outdo one another as they always had. He remembered Finn smiling up at him as he had climbed a tree, before he had broken his arm. He remembered Rebekah laughing like silver bells, weaving leather into a bracelet that still resided on his wrist today. Most terribly of all, he remembered Henrick. Little, innocent, kind Henrick.

Rage tore through him. He growled, making Alex cry out in panic. His fangs were barred, his eyes blotchy and red, grotesque in their demon-like manner. He reared back to bite her, to finally have his kill, before thinking better of it. This was the rush. This was the hunt. He would not ruin it tonight.

So instead, he pressed his lips onto hers with a bruising force, channeling all his anger into his touch. Alex squirmed and writhed against the wall, trying futilely to shove him off, crying out and whimpering. She angled her head to the side, unintentionally giving him full access to her smooth neck.

"Kol!" She cried out, digging her fingernails into the material of his jacket. "Kol, please! Please stop!"

Kol's hands were pressed against her body as his lips and tongue moved sensuously over her skin, his teeth often nipping at her, his fangs scratching her and drawing drops of blood. He moved his hands down to her bare thighs before pushing upwards under the material of her dress, pulling her as close as he could against him.

It seemed he had found a pocket of overly sensitive nerves. When he slipped his tongue over her collarbone, Alex tensed and cried out. But not in pain. Not in fear. In pleasure.

Alex inwardly cursed herself. Her mind was so used to Kol touching her in her dreams that this hardly seemed any different. And the things he had done to her in those dreams… he barely needed to touch her to get her going. He ran his tongue over the spot again, causing her back to arch and her breasts to push against his chest. _No no no no no, _she thought wretchedly. This was what he wanted. This was why he had tortured her this way. She truly had no control over her body.

Kol was grinning wickedly, moving his hands over her inner thighs, pushing them closer and closer to the warmth radiating between her legs. His touch had lightened from its inflicting level to something more teasing as the man in him grew aroused. Alex still begged for him to stop even as he body ached in protest, yearned for him. He knew it. He could smell her.

"Alex," he breathed on her skin warmly, raising gooseflesh. "Stop fighting it. You know you want this."

"No," she cried. "Stop. Kol, stop."

He laughed. "You did this to yourself, darling. I may not be able to get to you in your dreams, but nothing is stopping me right now."

The door swung open a second later, the lock broken as the handle hung before clattering to the wood floor. Alex laid eyes on someone she never thought she would be so happy to see. Rebekah.

Rebekah looked incensed. Her hair strayed around her head messily, her eyes dark and piercing as they glowered at the back of Kol's head. Her lips were pulled into her ever-present scowl.

"Kol," she bit out. "You have poor timing."

Alex nearly stuttered. _That's_ all she had to say?

"Sorry dear sister," he replied, sounding anything but. He hadn't removed his hands from under Alex's dress. They brushed against her panties tauntingly. "Do you need the room?"

"I need you to spare wreaking havoc on _one_ night, do you understand? One night, Kol!" Rebekah strode into the room, hands on her hips, lip pushed out. "Elijah and Mother take their anger out on me when they cannot find you. So spare me!"

Kol rolled his eyes as he looked into Alex's, still grinning maliciously, drinking her in. "I need five minutes," he said to his sister.

Rebekah threw her hands in the air, exasperated. "No. Mother is looking for you _now_."

Having had his attention tugged from the hunt, Kol released Alex, letting her slid to the floor roughly, as he turned to face his sister. "Mother can go to hell," he spat. "I care not what she thinks, Rebekah. Neither should you."

Rebekah snarled. "You're out of control." Then she spun on her heel and left the room, slamming the broken door shut in her wake.

Kol, enraged, looked back at Alex. Her knees were pulled up to her chest, her breasts heaving, her green eyes intent and fearful. She was holding her breath, waiting for his next move. Another memory hit him like a stone. He stared at her a moment longer, searching for the reasoning behind it. Green eyes. Henrick had had green eyes.

_"I'm faster than you!" Henrick giggled, running through the fans of grass. His dark hair was displaced by the wind, his small frame moving nimbly over the ground._

_Kol chased after him, purposely giving his little brother an advance. "Race you to the oak, Henrick! Last one there helps Mamma with dinner!"_

_The boys stomped through the grove of trees, each panting for clean air as they ran side by side. Henrick glanced over at Kol, his eyes wide, their color reflecting the fully blossomed leaves above their heads. They were so bright, so kind and happy. _

_Kol slowed down and allowed his brother to take the lead._

A snarl tore from Kol's throat. In less than a second, he had disappeared.

* * *

><p>Matt tousled a hand through his hair, glancing around keenly at the faces surrounding him. Rebekah had been beside him one moment, leading him into the house where they could sit away from the rest of her family, and in the next instant she had disappeared. He wasn't sure what to make of her anymore. There were so many sides of her, it was hard to keep track of them all.<p>

His eyes tugged upwards as a fair-haired figure was descending the grand staircase. There she was. And she looked pissed off, too. Her face was slightly reddened, her eyes narrowed and dark.

Matt walked the remaining distance to her, holding out his hand as she descended the remaining steps. She took it without hesitance.

"What's wrong?" He asked quickly. "Did something happen?"

"Nothing," she said shortly, not meeting his eyes. "It was nothing."

But it had definitely been something. Rebekah refused to let some silly little girl ruin her night, though. Surely bringing up the slight disturbance would pull all of Matt's attention away from Rebekah so he could focus on Alex.

She wasn't about to let that happen.

The only reason she had even bothered to help the stupid girl was out of pity. Kol could be overbearing. He could be ruthless. But he could also be rash. Tonight, he was allowing his emotions to control him. She had seen firsthand the mess of bodies he left behind when he got emotional. She would prefer it to be a corpse-free night.

* * *

><p>Alex stumbled as she walked. She held her heels in her hand and kept a hand on the wall, carefully controlling her breathing as she headed towards the stairs. It didn't feel real. None of it. It felt just like those dreams he fabricated. Kol bringing her into the house, shoving her up against the wall, <em>touching <em>her. That strange feeling she got from him. The warmth between her legs. It was wrong. All wrong. And yet her body couldn't help itself. As much as she was sickened by Kol, she couldn't deny the strange reactions he had elicited from her.

God, this was so messed up.

And then there was that look on his face just before he had jetted out of the room. What was that? Sadness? Regret? Longing? It certainly hadn't been directed at her. Maybe she had just imagined it—Kol didn't seem capable of feeling anything but murderous.

She straightened her dress and smoother her hair before heading down to the party again. She just wanted to find James and get the hell out of there. One pressing task loomed in her way: she needed to approach Klaus. If she was going to fight Kol, she needed help.

It didn't take long to find the blonde hybrid. He was chatting up Caroline, planting a smile on his face even as the young vampire glared at him. His eyes would often darken threateningly, narrow in a way he should not be looking at a love interest. Yet that seemed to be how all the Originals interacted.

Maybe this wasn't such a good idea, after all.

But she needed to be strong. She needed to fight this. If she had to make a deal with the devil in order to do it, then so be it.

Alex sucked in a deep breath before forcing herself towards Klaus. His eyes immediately fell on her as if he had been keeping a cautious eye out for potential threats. They glimmered haughtily when he realized who she was.

"Alexandra Heart," he said, her name rolling off his tongue meltingly. Just like Kol.

_No_, she internally groaned. _I won't let him poison my mind. Kol's a monster. A total monster._

"You're my brother's newest plaything, isn't that right?"

Alex frowned at the hybrid. Oddly enough, he wasn't as terrifying as his less stable, imprudent yet calculating, and totally suave younger brother. "So you know, then?"

Caroline quickly took the opportunity to escape, slipping into the crowd. Klaus glared after her.

"Of course," he said, shifting his gaze back to the brunette. "It's my business to know everything in this town, love."

What's up with them calling people such affectionate names so _threateningly_? Was it another Original thing?

"So then you know what he's been doing to me," Alex said in a small voice. "And you haven't stopped him."

Klaus smirked. "I'm afraid Kol has a mind of his own. Now if you'll excuse me—"

"No," Alex said, grabbing his arm. She flinched back when his dark eyes fell on her. "I mean—I need to talk to you. I need your help."

Klaus stared her down a moment longer. At first, Alex thought he would laugh in her face and leave her. She didn't expect anything else. But after a moment, something in his eyes lightened. His lips curved upward in a way very similar to Kol, dark and sinister, as if he knew something you still didn't, and probably wouldn't.

Alex wondered what the hell she was getting herself into.

* * *

><p><strong>Reviews mean so much and they're so easy to do. Please take a second and help me update faster and stay on track! (: (And we saw a little of Kol's past. Ohh, this is going to get interesting. (:)<strong>


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Vampire Diaries. **

* * *

><p><strong>Seven<strong>

Damon watched, his icy blue eyes hard as stone, as Katherine slipped into a private room. Mayor Lockwood gave a quick once-over around the main ballroom, ensuring she wasn't being watched, before shutting the door. He had hidden himself well behind a Greek pillar.

Katherine was obviously under the guise of being Elena—she had straightened her hair, was careful to look shyly around at others, and didn't dress as risqué as was her norm. Whatever the hell she was doing here, talking to the _mayor_ of all people, Damon didn't have a clue.

So he was going to figure it out.

Damon had taken two steps forward before a hand caught his forearm, yanking him back abruptly. He knew without looking that its owner was human and not vampire or werewolf; they had the delicate strength of a human, applying uneven pressure with their fingertips, and perhaps the most obvious sign was the frantic heartbeat pounding away behind him. His lips immediately fell into a scowl. He pulled his arm out of whoever's grasp, straightening imagined wrinkles on his jacket before turning around.

His eyes narrowed murderously.

"James," he said in a clipped tone, his eyes flashing with impatience. "Whatever you'd like to threaten me with this time is gonna have to wait."

James was looking rather dazed, if not more or less drunk. There was a sheen over his green eyes, which were also red and veiny. His face was flushed and blotchy, and he seemed less than capable of standing on two feet steadily. The purpose of grabbing onto Damon had less of an attempt to gain vampire's attention, but more so to keep himself upright. His light eyes were darkened with anger, his lips scrunched and snarly.

"This is something you're gonna wanna hear," James said in a low voice.

Damon smirked. "Unless it's about that hot piece of a sister you have, I'm not interested."

There was a fidget in James's wrist, as if natural instinct urged him to punch Damon but he had restrained. His face tightened as he swallowed down a retort, eyes now blazing.

"Alaric Saltzman tried to kill her."

The upbeat music drifting in from outside almost seemed taunting now. Damon blinked three times, masking his expression entirely. He recovered himself quickly, plastering his smirk back onto his lips.

"Is that so?"

"Don't play stupid, Damon," James growled. "You're covering for him. The only thing I want to know is why."

Damon took a threatening step forward, placing his face inches away from James's. "You're becoming more trouble than you're worth. I'd be very careful in your actions, James. Wouldn't want anything to happen to sweet little Alex, would we?"

James looked levelly at Damon. "All you have to do is give me what I want. Then we'll act like nothing happened. I'd say that's a fair deal."

Damon scoffed. "Or how about I take you back to the boardinghouse, lock you up for a few days and let the vervain leave your system before compelling you to forget?" Damon feigned considering this. "Although killing you would be so much easier. I haven't had any fun in a while."

James's jaw tightened. "You _need_ me—"

"What I _need_," Damon snapped venomously, "Is for you to back the hell off. Do you think it's that hard to replace some guy who writes the paper? You think you know something, but you haven't got a clue what you're getting into. Back off James. You're running out of warnings."

He turned around to leave the man with those last words, hopefully instilling some sort of meager sense of self-preservation within him. He hadn't even turned around completely before his supernatural sense alerted him to movement behind him and he caught the very faint whiz of a sharp object cutting through air.

Damon turned on a dime, grabbing the carved dagger that was headed straight for his heart, twisting the hand that held it until it hyper-extended noisily, and shoving James into the stone wall. Without checking his strength or fury, Damon hadn't realized the severe amount of damage he inflicted. James's bones crushed under his touch, caving inwards. The snapping was as loud as gunshots to Damon, and he stood baffled for a second, before dragging James's crumpling body into a vacant room.

It was a library. He propped the dark-haired man up on a chair, staring down at the gaping wound as deep, scarlet blood seeped into the light colored chair. James was still breathing. His breath rattled in his chest, his heartbeat was faint as the sound of a hummingbird.

It would be very easy to let him die. It would be extremely beneficial to Damon. James was nothing but a thorn in his side, a constant reminder of all that he could lose should the human imprudently choose to open his mouth to the council, even to the Originals. He was an inconvenience. But just as quickly as he considered letting the man bleed out, Elena's face flashed in the forefront of his mind, the way she had appeared after Jenna's death, and her mother's, and anyone else she had ever cared about.

Without thinking a second longer, Damon jetted out of the room, headed towards the sound of Meredith's voice where she resided on a bench outside with Alaric. She snapped her head up immediately, surprise etched over her features at his sudden appearance. Something in his own expression must have given away his somberness, because she looked dreadful in the next instant.

"What happened?"

"Follow me," was all he said, sparing a glance at Rick before walking hastily back to the room he had discarded James in.

Meredith charged into the room at first glimpse, holding her large clutch to her chest tenderly as she moved in close to examine James. She looked back up a Damon, a mixture of shock and repulsion. "You did this to him?"

Damon rolled his eyes. "No, the Easter Bunny caught rabies. What do you think?"

Alaric shut the door quickly before returning to Meredith's side. "How bad is it?"

"Bad," she said instantly. She held her fingers to a pulse point while her eyes perused the rest of his bodily injury. "He's already lost a lot of blood. His sternum looks completely crushed and I can feel some broken ribs." Her hands barely ghosted over his abdomen. She looked up at Damon skeptically. "You did this, so you have to save him."

Damon raised an eyebrow. "I think I've done enough."

"No," she shook her head, now digging through her clutch until wrapping her fingers around an empty syringe. "Hold out your arm, Damon."

"You're not serious. In case you don't remember, it's my brother who's the saint, honey." He smirked.

Alaric glowered at Damon while Meredith looked on imploringly. "He'll die without your blood. How would Elena feel if she found out you didn't do anything to help him after _you_ did this?"

Damon gave an exasperated eye-twirl before rolling up one of his sleeves. "Whatever. Go crazy."

* * *

><p>"Let me get this straight," Klaus said, his tone holding the faintest hint of unmasked amusement. There was a haughty smirk on his lips. "You want to me command my brother to leave you in peace? To cease this so-called game of yours and allow you to go on as you normally would?"<p>

"He wants to _kill_ me, Klaus," Alex said, barely repressing her incredulity. "It's not a game. It's inevitable death if he keeps it up."

"Oh I have no doubt. He has quite the temper. Worse than mine, even." Something about this amused Klaus, as he grinned, his teeth gleaming sinisterly in the low lighting.

Alex cringed away from him. He wasn't going to help her. That much was obvious. Wasn't there any way to convince him? What would she have to do in order for Klaus to want to stop his brother, too? As far as she knew, Klaus was the only Original strong enough to take on Kol. He was the only one with loose family ties, cunning intellect, and he exuded fear.

The night had already been filled to the brim with wearying problems. She didn't want to deal with this right now. What ever happened to those nights when going to a gala at the mayor's mansion was just for fun? When she could sit and dance with Matt and forget about the world for a little while? Were those days gone?

Staring at the hybrid a second longer, at the mocking glint in his eyes that reflected Kol's hostility so much it was shocking, Alex decidedly turned on her heel and walked away. There was nothing else she could do. Not now, at least.

She passed by Finn and Elijah on her way out to the back patio. Elijah looked curiously at her sidelong, making her ponder for a brief moment if, in fact, he would be willing to help her. He said nothing and looked away just as quickly, ushering those thoughts away. Maybe Matt would know better.

The quarterback and his undead date were nowhere to be seen. The party was in full-swing by now—the band was playing some loud, upbeat song; couples danced exuberantly on the floor, and there were many people from across town mingling and laughing with one another. Alex hugged her arms to her chest and peered around, searching for two familiar blonde heads in the crowd of people. When they still eluded her, she stepped out towards the garden, wondering if they had decided to take a romantic stroll. Normally her easily guilted conscience wouldn't allow her to ruin someone's night, especially if that someone was Matt, but circumstance required her to push away those thoughts for the moment and seek out an ally.

The grass was cold. Fringes brushed against her ankles as she walked towards the lake, where the gardens were situated just before. A slight breeze skirted around her, picking at her dress here and there. Her arms shook and she rubbed them to retain some warmth.

Voices drifted through the air, just barely reaching her ears. She stopped dead in her tracks when she recognized one deep, snarky, accented one. The other she wasn't as familiar with, but she had a guess as to who it was.

"Your brother has led me to believe that you've gone against what I've asked of you, Kol," the voice was cool, feminine, and somehow calculating. It was Esther, Kol's mother. Something about that woman made Alex shudder.

Kol barked with laughter. "You haven't changed one bit, have you Mother? Still expect us all to bend to your every whim?"

"Kol," Esther said, her voice sour and hard. "You may well have been without me for nearly a millennium, but do not forget that I _am_ your mother. Show some respect."

Alex wasn't sure what compelled her to do it, but she trudged closer to the pair, peeking around a corner as she spotted them just on the other side of the garden from her, in clear view as the moonlight shone down on them. Kol looked different, somehow. He didn't look like the same person who had just tried to force himself on her. He looked… more childlike. As if Esther's overwhelming presence reduced him to something smaller than he truly was, as if he was trying to prove himself. Alex recognized that look. It was how she used to look around her father.

"Or what?" He challenged his mother with that unmistakable look of defiance every child holds towards their parents. "I'm not yet sure what you're up to, but I know for certain you can't act on me without raising suspicion in the others. Your threats are empty."

Esther's expression softened, yet somehow looked bleaker at the same time. "How have you come to think so low of me, my son?"

"It might have something to do with waking up nearly a thousand years ago with a dagger through my heart," Kol said sardonically. "Or perhaps when you allowed Father to hunt us down afterwards."

Esther looked away, towards the lake; lights from the party glimmered on it, reflecting in her dark eyes. Her face was unreadable. "I thought I was doing right by you. My children—you were all in danger. After what happened to Henrick… I could not bear to lose another." Her eyes returned to her son's. "But I made a mistake. I'm trying to fix that now, dear Kol. Why won't you let me?"

Kol shook his head, laughing bitterly. "I don't believe a word you're saying. You're ashamed of what you created," he said, stepping into his mother's face, his eyes narrowed, mouth set in a sneer. "You hate the very beings we are. The others are just too _homesick_," he spat the word disgustedly, "to see past your façade."

There was a heavy, choking silence. Alex could hear her heartbeat loud and clear and knew Kol must have been completely engrossed in watching his mother's every move, or he would have heard it as well. Esther's face carefully blanked. For a fleeting moment, Alex believed that maybe she had been hurt by Kol's words. Maybe she wanted him to take them back; maybe she wanted to apologize for all she had done to them. But then she saw an ugly look cross her features—a look of hate and loathing—so intense that it took away her breath.

Something in the air snapped like a chord had been severed; something only Esther and Kol had sensed, because in the next instant, they were at each other's throats.

Raising a hand in the air, Esther murmured Latin under her breath just as Kol lunged for her, his fangs out and ready to tear into flesh. He flew backwards by a jolt of her magic, smashing a statute to pieces as he hit it before falling to the ground with a wince.

Hardly any rational thought passed through Alex's mind. There was only instinct down to its rawest and barest foundations; there was only her own personal memories. She crashed out of her hiding spot and sprinted over to stand between mother and son, her dark hair wisping around her face, her eyes big and terrified.

A gasp flew from her lips when she was immediately hit with an invisible rush of power—she flew backwards just as Kol had, and feared for an equally as rough landing. Her arms were pushed out behind her, bracing her fall even as pain spiked through her limbs. She stared wide-eyed up at Esther, who seemed every bit as surprised as Alex was of her own actions. There was a look of remorse there—Esther had mistaken Alex as a vampire ally of Kol's. She began to step forward but stopped herself.

Kol had jetted to his feet, emitting a low growl from behind Alex. She was certain he would throw her aside and go after his mother once more. The last thing she wanted to witness was another murder—no, she couldn't bear it. She really couldn't. But no one moved. Alex looked over her shoulder curiously, her breathing the only sound that filled the air.

Kol's eyes were black as ink, boring into his mother's with palpable murderous intentions. His fangs pressed into his lower lip so forcefully that it drew blood and his hands were white-knuckled and clenched at his sides. This was so different than the typically malicious way Kol would regard _her_. All those times, she had an underlying sense that his anger may be stemmed from something else, though it was clearly directed at her; he did not look as _betrayed_ as he did now, staring back at his mother.

This was the vampire who had tormented her. The vampire who played inside her head, stalked her like prey, forced his body on hers not minutes ago, _hurt_ her. But in that moment, Alex understood something about Kol. They were similar. Kol's mother and father had betrayed him, whereas Alex's own father had betrayed her. How was this possible, for her to see through to this aspect of him? How was it possible that she felt the faintest twinge of _sympathy?_ The idea, itself, was repulsive, but undeniably true.

When Alex snapped back to reality, she found that Esther had vanished. Her muscles immediately relaxed only to tense up again. Esther may be gone—and God knew that woman made Alex edgier than ever—but her demon was still here.

* * *

><p>Kol didn't look away from the empty pathway his mother had only just vacated. A million thoughts reeled through his head, a million impulses and urges of destruction and bloodshed. It was as if his vision itself was stained red. He wanted to feel death squirm in his fingers.<p>

He could hear her breathing behind him—_Alex_. The name made him hiss. Had it not been for her, he would have been free to tear his mother apart limb from limb, to sever the deceitful connection she had concocted between his siblings and herself. To finally taste a bit of revenge he had all but directed at others his entire existence.

Alex stared at Kol as he didn't move, her breath held tightly in her lungs. She wasn't seeing him entirely—she was seeing James and herself. She was seeing the past Kol so easily dredged up into the forefront of her mind to stab her long-earned peace with.

"_James?"_

_Alex stood at the edge of the stairs, her hair messy from sleep, clutching a small teddy bear to her chest. She was so small—middle school hadn't yet granted her the height she would gain in years to come. Moonlight shimmered down on her, warping her small, soft features into something heartbreaking and pale. _

_James frowned, leaving the open doorway to wrap his arms around his sister, pulling her close to his chest. She nestled into him, peeking out the front door as she did. Their father stood outside on the driveway, throwing suitcases into his car gruffly. Something was wrong, she knew. But then again, these days, something was always wrong. Ever since mom died…_

"_What's going on?" she asked in a tiny voice, peering up at James with wide, inquiring eyes. _

"_It's nothing you have to worry about, Alex," James ran a hand through her hair brotherly, giving her a weak smile. "Go on back to bed."_

"_Where's daddy going?"_

_James shook his head at her, ushering her back up the stairs. "It doesn't matter. Things will be better in the morning, okay? Go get some sleep. Go on."_

_With her hand on the cool wood railing, Alex looked dubiously at her brother before casting another glance outside. Her father had started the car. He was pulling away from the house. _

_He didn't look back._

Alex stifled a whimper. Unbidden tears had already surfaced in her eyes and made trails down her scarlet cheeks. She bit her lip, worrying it between her teeth. Yes, she knew what it felt like to be betrayed by someone you trusted most. By those who were _meant_ to be there, to protect you.

But Kol was a monster, she reminded herself wretchedly. Maybe he deserved it.

She repulsed herself so intensely, she stopped breathing. _No one_ deserved to be abandoned. No matter who or what they were. How could she wish such a thing on someone?

Her voice sounded distant and far away to her own ears. "Kol?"

Kol's head snapped towards her, his eyes piercing and cutting. This was the worst she had seen him—she had been so terrified of him before, but this was so much worse. And it didn't help that she understood—she_ understood_ why he looked so angry, so _lethal_ and brutal. She had been in his position before. She had felt so angry at her father—_still_ felt so angry.

But this was Kol_, _she thought. Doesn't that make it different?

Then it hit her. This was his weakness. This was what she had been seeking out as an answer all along.

Dare she manipulate something so sensitive, so close to her own heart?

Did she have a choice?

Kol was gone in a flash, leaving behind nothing but a depressing silence as the wind continued to tug at Alex's dress. Her heart was torn. What was she to do?

* * *

><p><strong>Many many <strong>_**many**_** thanks for the reviews! You guys honestly have no idea how much they help me. And I didn't take too long with this chapter, so I think it shows! (: Please review—it only takes a second! (:**


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Vampire Diaries. **

* * *

><p><strong>Eight<strong>

It looked as if a tornado had torn through the room—books were everywhere, their innards ripped out and sashaying to the ground whilst bindings lay torn open and toppled, exposing their craftwork like the sinewy muscle of a dissected animal; shattered glass glittered like snowflakes on the floor, where several glass pieces of furniture had been abused; the curtains were torn from their holdings and tatters sprinkled here and there.

Kol's room never held many precious artifacts—he had no personal trinkets other than the leather bracelet Rebekah had made for him when she was just a girl. He didn't care for mementos like his siblings seemed to. Standing there, breathless and seething in the middle of his distressed room, he observed this oddity. What did he have, other than those small things he kept close to his person? What was his constant?

He had none, he realized. Not even family. Sure, he had seen Rebekah many a time over the years, but Niklaus had always been quick to disparage any long term connection the brother and sister could have held. Finn had been dead nearly since they were turned. Elijah had been playing a puppet for Niklaus until his newfound revelations made him believe he was nobler than the rest. No, there were no constants for Kol. His very existence was ever-changing, a puzzle piece he was constantly putting together only to have it torn up again and made anew. That's the way he liked things. The challenges, the surprises, surviving on impulse and urges. It was the life he loved to live. He was only just realizing there was a price he had to pay for that.

In a sudden paroxysm of fury, Kol smashed his hand into the nearest wall, making the house rumble and plaster flurry into the air. He would willingly pay any price he must to remain who he was. Mother would not change that. His siblings would not. This was not the life he wanted. Why stay? What was the point? They didn't need him. He didn't need them.

Something within him, some sort of indefinable intuition, made him think twice about that. Mother was most certainly up to something. She despised them, he knew. What was it she had said earlier? _I made a mistake. I'm trying to fix that now, dear Kol. Why won't you let me?_

_Fix_ it. Of course her version of fixing it was not the same as Niklaus's or Elijah's. It couldn't possibly be. But that would be their problem to deal with.

His fangs began to burn, forcing him back to reality. He was hungry. Terribly hungry.

Alex. Their little game, his unending rush of power. Was that reason enough to stay? Something thrilling coursed through his veins at the thought of her, at the memory of being so close to that achingly enriched neck of hers, to that wonderful scent of her blood, the heat of her body. Perhaps he would have to advance this game before he chose to leave and finally take his prize.

Ice seemed to freeze in his veins, rooting him to his spot. He couldn't stop replaying the scene that had only just occurred in his head: Alex—_Alex_ of all creatures—put herself between him and his mother. In front of a force unstoppable by even an Original vampire. And for what reason? What could possibly have compelled her to such a stupid, pointless thing? Perhaps she truly had no proper sense of self-preservation. He refused to consider anything else. Absolutely refused it. Even he knew he could not face his mother alone—rash anger had captured whatever rational thought he had at the time, anger built and built upon over the years. He had been so close to tearing his mother's neck out, but he knew, now, that such a thing would have been impossible. The bolt of magic she had hit him with was beyond anything he ever experienced. No, she would have obliterated him. He was certain of that.

Perhaps it was a good thing to test the waters, then, he mused. To understand her strengths and weaknesses.

And yet still, Alex baffled him. He had been so close to getting her to yield to him, to give him her body, her blood, especially that blood. He would have taken some with force if Rebekah hadn't interrupted. He tormented for her days on end. His very presence itself was a threat of death, a promise of torture and pain. Why not let his mother destroy him? Why, dare he even consider it, _save_ him?

He growled low and long. Kol did not like for others to do him favors or intervene on his behalf. It meant he owed them. If there was one thing he had retained from his family, it was their sense of honor in word. Elijah had always taught Kol that if one's promises became empty, one's sense of honor, so would their threats and intimidation.

Would he really consider Alex's strange act as worthy of him _owing_ her?

Bloody hell no.

Right? He had made her no promise of protection, he had given her no word of his. She had acted all of her own volition, however horrendously stupid that may have been. But why? _Why?_ And why the hell did he feel the tiniest sense of _obligation_ towards her?

Kol, however, didn't get to ponder over this any further. He heard the front door of the large mansion slam open and Niklaus's familiar pacing started.

"Kol," Niklaus growled. "I know you're here."

Kol rolled his eyes.

"It's been a thousand years, Niklaus," Elijah was saying reasonably. Kol hadn't heard his eldest brother enter the house. He listened intently and found that Finn and Rebekah were present as well. "We do not know all that's transpired. Should we expect her tempers not to rise, given all that has occurred?"

"I am telling you, brother," Finn argued, "It's not what it seems. She doesn't wish for peace."

Klaus snorted. "And you know this how? Because she has reduced your despondency to near suicidal? Because she believes you'll betray the rest of us in order to gain your own eternal peace?"

"Because my loyalty does not lie with her," Finn said as coolly as he could. "We are family, Niklaus. She cannot destroy that, no matter how dearly or distantly you regard that."

It was suddenly very obvious who they were speaking of—Mother. Kol's attention became rapt in an instant, like a shark who had tasted the first signs of blood in water. Could it be possible? Could his siblings truly know better than what they had divulged? Why, then, had they not shared this with him sooner?

"Kol," it was Elijah calling this time. "Come. We must discuss matters."

Kol hesitated a minute just to spite his siblings. However, curiosity won out in the end, and he found himself downstairs in the drawing room, surrounded by family. Rebekah was glaring at him for reasons he didn't care to know, Elijah was impassive and cool, Finn looked the slightest bit anxious and even a little fearful, and Klaus looked downright infuriated.

"What'd I miss?"

Klaus flashed his youngest brother a glare. "Must you ruin everything, Kol?" he grit out, barely repressing the urge to snap the other vampire into pieces.

Kol cocked a mocking eyebrow. "Is that an honest question?"

Klaus's temper flared instantly. "You never listen," he spat, striding into his younger brother's face, looking down at him levelly. "We must all pay for your _stupidity_. We always have. I should have daggered you the instant Elijah brought you back."

Kol bared his teeth in a smirk. "Yes, brother, a wonderful idea. Give it a try, won't you? I'm certain it would please Mother."

Elijah stepped between them, always the peacekeeper. "Enough."

"Elijah's right," Rebekah growled under her breath, looking none too pleased to be agreeing. "We haven't much time."

This grabbed Kol's interest. "Meaning what?"

"Thanks to you," she sneered at him, "Mother has revealed her true intentions a hint too early. So go on and say it. Get it over with."

Kol pinched his mouth together in annoyance, but some vindictive part of him lightened and rallied. "Believe it or not, Bekah, I had no hope to be right."

"You _pushed_ her to this point," Klaus accused venomously. "Had you listened to us in the first place, this could have been avoided. This all could have been over."

"Oh, will you open your eyes, Niklaus!" Kol shouted angrily. He seethed, stepping up challengingly. "This was _always_ over! She doesn't care for us! She doesn't love us! We are _monsters_. We are beings of dark magic and blood. As our creator, she _resents_ our existence! Did you really think all could be as it was when we were human, brother? You're pathetic. All of you." He looked around at his siblings through slitted eyes. "Why should we care? The blood that binds this family together is over a thousand years old, and even the earth has changed in that time. You're all _pathetic_," he hissed.

Finn looked entirely forlorn. His dark eyes were cast to the ground, heavy and tired by the weight of a thousand missed years and a broken family. Klaus looked incensed, but something deeper in his eyes hinted at his defeat. Rebekah hugged her arms to her chest, her lips pushed into her ever-present pout, her eyes dark and unreadable. Elijah only blinked, his face well masked, his eyes, however, saddened.

After a silence settled in, Kol began to turn to leave when Elijah spoke in a low voice.

"Perhaps he's right."

Rebekah pushed her face out of her hair. "Of course he's right. You saw what she did, tonight. Who she was with."

Kol turned back, an eyebrow raised. "And who might that be?"

"The second Petrova doppelganger," Rebekah's tone soured at the mention of the vampire, casting a knowing look at Elijah. "Katerina."

"Katerina's in town? How interesting." He smirked at his eldest brother, who purposely remained impassive.

"She's working with Mother," Finn said with resignation.

"You have no proof of that," Klaus argued, glowering at the dark haired vampire. "It's speculation at best."

"I have earned Mother's good graces," Finn explained with a twinge of exasperation. "I saw her and Katerina consorting myself, as well as the mayor. I'm certain I'll be introduced to matters by tomorrow. She believes me to be an ally."

"If that's so," Klaus narrowed his eyes, "then how could we trust that you aren't? Perhaps the best way you can be of service to her is to infiltrate our trust, brother."

Finn's gaze was stone. "You're as paranoid as Father was, you know."

"You haven't yet explained the situation," Kol interrupted, irritated. "What exactly happened?"

All eyes turned to Finn. He sighed heavily. "The Bennett witch was approached. She already wields great power, as Klaus has experienced for himself. And she has a deep-rooted resentment for our kind."

Kol rolled his eyes. "So?"

"So her bloodline dates back to Ayanna. Do you believe in coincidences?"

"Then what of Katerina?"

Finn exchanged looks with Elijah. "We aren't yet certain." There was something in Finn's tone that hinted at withheld words.

"But?" Kol prompted?

Finn hadn't taken his eyes off of Elijah, who was now glaring back. It quickly dawned on Kol: Finn wanted to use the old connection Elijah had with Katerina to gain information. He wanted to use his brother's faded love for their advantage.

Kol's smirk returned. Who said things couldn't get interesting?

* * *

><p>Normally the constant chirp of crickets was hypnotizing enough to allow Alex a moment of numbness, an escape from the stark feelings brimming within her body. Tonight was different, however. Instead of pitching a soothing cadence, the repetition was irritating and distracting. She pinched her eyes shut in an attempt to drown it out.<p>

After she had returned home, she immediately disposed of the sundress in favor for her nighttime attire: short shorts and a thin tank. James had been nowhere to be seen, and as she had heard from Stefan, he was being taken care of and driven home. Alex hadn't really thought twice about it; she was too engrossed in what had just transpired to be very prudent.

She had thrown herself in between Kol and his mother, two forces of nature not to be reckoned with. And for what reason? How did it benefit her? It didn't—that was the God honest truth. Except for sparing her conscience of haunting thoughts, it didn't truly benefit her, not in any direct way. So then why did she bother? Why didn't she allow the mother witch to remove Kol from existence and at the same time rid Alex of her own personal demon?

The look in Kol's eyes returned to her, a ghostly image of her own past. That raw look of betrayal and hurt, the unmasked feelings crossing his mind and infecting his body. And then the way his mother had looked at him—as if he weren't her son, as if he were despicable and repulsive, an odious creature to be cursed without maternal love. That was why she saved him. Because she knew what it felt to be looked at that way, to be abandoned and to feel forgotten and discarded. She knew how it felt to be betrayed by those you trusted most. Sure, Kol was truly repulsive at best in action—he showed no care whatsoever for life, he was sadistic and cruel, he simply wasn't _human_. But no one deserved to be betrayed in such a severe and personal way. No one.

So what was she to do with this newfound information? Use it against him? She had discovered the weakness she had been searching for, after all, without the help of Klaus or any other Original, without owing a debt. But there were lines she was not willing to cross. Was this one of them?

An hour had passed as she sat out on her roof before her open window, staring up at the glitter in the night sky. She didn't realize anyone was standing below her until they spoke, their voice cutting into the chirping and silence.

"Let's get one thing straight," the voice said almost bitterly. "This changes nothing."

Alex shot upright. She peered over the side of the roof to where it was empty space until it reached the leaf-green grass. Kol stood beneath her, looking enigmatic and strange. He was scowling, his eyes were narrowed, yet something in those deep brown orbs was withheld from her view.

Her heart pounded against her ribs, as it always did in his presence, but she found she wasn't entirely surprised for reasons unknown to her. Perhaps she was just getting used to his unanticipated surfacing. But memory flashed before her eyes—of him putting his hands on her, of the repulsive arousal she had felt for him, at the taste of his lips on her own. There was so much wrong with all of that.

Instinct prodded her to jump to her feet and dash back inside her window. As always, her intent was clear on her face, and Kol was beside her in a second.

"Stop," he said, staring down at her with a face like stone. "We're only going to have this discussion once, do you understand?"

Alex's mouth fell open, bafflement and dread etched on her face. She nodded soundlessly at him, though her body was positioned towards the window.

"I don't know why you did what you did, nor do I care to know why," he stated, and Alex almost felt as if this had been rehearsed, "but know that I owe you nothing. You chose it of your own volition, as I whim, I presume. This changes nothing. I will have you, Alexandra Heart. I will have your blood, your body—all of you. All I will grant you is a reprieve on this night and this night only. I will not hesitate to continue this hunt of ours the next change I have. Do you understand me?"

Alex blinked at him. Had she fallen asleep on the roof? Was this simply a dream? It couldn't possibly be real—Kol of all creatures couldn't be here, _explaining_ himself in a sort, _not_ going after her. It was impossible, wasn't it?

But it was happening. Here he was, his gaze boring straight into her. He shifted, she guessed to leave. She caught his arm, immediately flinching at willingly touching him, but not letting go.

"Wait," she said, breathless. "Just—wait." He was wearing his mask again, unreadable and intimidating. It didn't stop her. "Why are you still doing this?"

Kol paused, pressing his lips together tensely. He stared down at her hand gripping his upper arm, at how small and weak it was compared to his muscled appendage. He let her touch linger.

"I do not leave things unfinished, sweetheart," he said tenderly, brushing a strand of hair from her face with the backs of his fingers. Alex's grip slackened in surprise. He touched her like a lover would, like she wasn't his prey for a moment, but some sort of possession held close to the heart, like the way he had touched her at the Mayor's party. It made her shiver, the skin on skin contact tingling oddly. "It'll do well to remember that."

"But why me? What did I do to you?"

A smile touched his lips, soft and small, grimly amused. He leaned in closer to her, relishing the way her heart throbbed in fear. Their faces were only inches away. He could smell the strawberry shampoo in her hair, the faint traces of perfume left over from the gala. He knew what her lips tasted like and where the most sensitive skin on her neck was. Yes, he was getting to know her quite well. It would serve to make things all the more interesting.

"I believe," he said quietly, "it was fate. Don't you believe in fate, little Alex? How else would you explain this? You were meant to be mine. Your blood runs for me." He stared down at her lips as they quivered and she worried them between her teeth, amusement flickering in his eyes. "You won't get away this time."

In the next instant, her hair was wisped around her face and he was gone, lightning taken away by the storm. Her lungs finally filled with air again as she gasped and stared blankly at where he had sat beside her.

She needed to figure this out. Soon.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: You guys are wonderful—thank you for the reviews! If you keep it up, I really think I can stay on track this time. This took a little longer than I wanted to update, but I've been really sick. So it shouldn't take as long next time. **

**So we saw a little Original-family interaction—I **_**love**_** their dynamics, and I hope I'm portraying them all correctly. We also see a little of Kol's inner battles and how Alex feels she can relate to him. This is going to hopefully up things in their potential relationship—I have a few wicked ideas. (: Please review—it only takes a second and I love to hear what you think about the story! (:**


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Vampire Diaries.**

* * *

><p><strong>Nine<strong>

Damon rolled his eyes in exasperation, a crease at the edge of his lips, hinting at his scowl.

"You're serious?"

"He didn't come home last night, Damon," Alex insisted as she ignored his blatant rudeness. She had a hand on the front door of the boardinghouse, keeping it from being closed. "I'm worried. James always checks in."

"Go worry somewhere else." Damon was prepared to shut the door in the small girl's face, but some inner and brash urge made her wedge her boot-clad foot in the way, preventing the door from closing when her arms couldn't do much. She tried not to consider how he could simply chose to break her foot.

"I know you know something," she said, leaning towards the threshold more in what she hoped was a more intimidating way. By the amused smirk on the dark vampire's lips, it wasn't, and her face flushed. "Tell me."

"And if I don't? Whatcha gonna do, sweetheart?" He leered at her, clearly enjoying this bit of power.

Alex hadn't noticed Stefan's presence until she heard him. "Damon," he said in a hard tone. His thick eyebrows were pulled down, his gaze stone and annoyed. Alex was surprised to find Elena at his shoulder, peering at her curiously and shyly, not truly wishing to meet her gaze as if Alex herself made her discomfited.

"_Stefan_," Damon replied without bothering to look, mocking his brother's tone in contempt.

Stefan ignored his brother's petulance, opting to consider Alex instead. Something in his expression was grim and calculating, as if he were trying to read her. Alex squirmed under his gaze.

"You're looking for James?"

Alex nodded eagerly. "He never came home. Some people at the party said Damon was one of the last to talk to him."

"He was," Stefan said slowly, looking to his brother once more with furrowed brows.

Damon shot him a murderous look. "I thought we agreed to keep Pocahontas out of this."

"No, we agreed to keep _Alaric_ out of this," Stefan replied. "She deserves to know."

"Know what?" Alex questioned, her posture straightening as her attention turned rapt and worried. "What are you guys talking about?"

Damon pinched the bridge of his nose, breathing out heavily as he threw his brother another look before turning his arctic eyes on Alex. "Being accident-prone must run in the family, huh?"

Alex blinked. "What happened to James? Is he okay?"

"He's fine," Stefan reassured her. He glanced uncertainly at Elena, who had yet to say a word. "He's just… recuperating."

"Recuperating," Alex repeated in a neutral tone, staring between the trio suspiciously. "Tell me where he is."

Elena sighed audibly. She tucked a dark strand of hair behind her ears and looked to the floor with a frown. "Meredith Fell is looking after him. He ingested vampire blood."

The soft rosy color in Alex's cheeks slowly drained to a bleak white, making her green eyes look brighter and wider. She was holding her breath. Her eyes immediately shifted to Damon, forcefully accusing. "What the _hell_ did you do?"

"Me?" Damon was incredulous. "Why me?"

"Don't give me that bullshit," she spat, briefly surprised by her own vehemence. "You've never liked him, or me, for that matter. What did you do?"

Damon's eyes narrowed threateningly. "James is a liability, and I'm quickly beginning to realize that you are, too. Don't think for a second that I won't hesitate to do it again, Alex. You don't know what your brother has gotten himself into. You wouldn't be so quick to defend him if you did."

"Then tell me already!" A sudden paroxysm of desperation seized her and she cried out at Damon, feeling a bubble of panic in her chest. "You keep hinting at it, but you haven't said it yet! I'm so tired of games—_just tell me_."

It was the first time Damon looked down at her and truly _considered_ her. His icy eyes weren't hostile or mocking or haughty. He wasn't patronizing or being charming. He was truly looking at her for the first time, and the grimness in his expression terrified Alex. She swallowed hard, waiting for him to speak.

"Your brother," he finally said, "is trying to overthrow the Council."

* * *

><p>The Grille was never too loud or too quiet. There was just enough chatter to create an amicable atmosphere, something warm and inviting that made Rebekah feel a little less isolated in this forever changing world.<p>

Her eyes were glued to a certain blonde quarterback as he bussed a table, his smile bright, though it didn't quite reach his eyes. She wasn't sure how she knew him well enough to recognize that, but she did. She saw a lot of things in Matt that otherwise went overlooked.

There was no cloud obscuring his past. He did not hide things away from people or go to great lengths to forget things perhaps better left forgotten. Rebekah knew about his sister, his mother. She knew about all the pain he had suffered, all that he had yet to suffer at the hands of time. Still, that smile remained, those moments of kindness and flashes of happiness. She envied this of him. It wouldn't have seemed possible over a century ago, but humans could still surprise her. They had the fortitude of an army whereas a vampire had the fuse of a bomb. They could never compare.

Only a minute later did he realize he was being watched. His blue eyes flicked up to catch her gaze. They lightened and there was a glow within them that hadn't been there before. They were pretty, she thought. Like the morning sky.

"Hey," he said, and his smile seeped into his voice as he approached her where she had seated herself in his section.

Rebekah forced a smile. "Hey."

He immediately caught on to her solemn mood. Worry crossed his features, dimming his eyes, and he seated himself across from her. How did he do that? How could he read her so well?

"What's wrong?"

She considered shrugging it off as nothing, but some hidden creature inside her heart howled at the thought. She wanted to confide in Matt. Maybe she needed to.

Rebekah's eyes fell to her hands, which were still and pale on the dark table. They were always still, she realized, whereas Matt was restless and anxious. She didn't have the humming energy he exuded. It only shadowed her heart further.

"It's my mother," she said quietly.

Matt had to lean towards her to catch the words, his eyes trained carefully on her green downcast ones. It was a rare moment of bareness for Rebekah, of revealing the little girl underneath the mask, but it was becoming more common with Matt. "Esther? Has something happened?"

Rebekah blew out a loud sigh. "I left so abruptly last night—I apologize for that. It's just… there have been some changes within our family. Problems are rising."

Never did Matt's focus stray. His shoulders shrunk down just the slightest at the sad news, a frown painting his lips. "What kinds of problems?"

She looked him straight in the eye, her inner battles plain and clear. "My mother wishes to kill me. Not just me—all of us. My brothers. And I haven't a clue how I'm supposed to react, I—"she stopped, choking on a sob she hadn't anticipated. Her bottom lip was quivering. Tears stung her eyes, a raw, human feeling she hadn't experienced in centuries. Rebekah briefly wondered if something was wrong with her until she realized that this was it. She felt horribly betrayed. Her own mother—the woman who had raised her, who had given her life and subsequent immortal life—wanted her dead. The reality crashed upon her like a boulder, and she no longer cared if she was in a public establishment or if Matt could read every emotion crossing her face. She let the tears slide down her face.

There was a moment where her whole body tensed as arms wrapped around her, pulling her close to a warm chest with a steady, beating heart. It took Rebekah a second to realize it was Matt. He had moved next to her and was holding her, trying to comfort her as he cradled the back of her head with his hand, stroking her fine blonde hair and murmuring in her ear.

The strangeness of this, the years of wanting someone like this to hold onto, slashed even deeper. Rebekah sunk into his embrace and let herself cry.

* * *

><p>Alex's chest rose and fell slowly, rhythmically, and surprising steadily for what Damon had come to expect of her. She sat on a stiff-backed couch in the parlor, physically isolated from the other three in her presence. There, looking entirely forlorn, yet retaining a sense of grim calmness, she looked extremely fragile. In the physical aspect, there was no denying that she was. Yet Damon was starting to understand something about this aggravating creature. She had the fortitude of a warrior but wore the face of a damsel.<p>

"Listen," Stefan said gently, breaking the silence as he placed himself in front of the distressed girl. "This is still salvageable. Things have only been rocky because James has been dead-set on fulfilling his agenda. But we can change that."

"How?" Alex asked dreadfully, pulling away from her hands and staring up at Stefan with crumpled resignation. "You can't change his mind. He's too stubborn. And he hates vampires—I've always known that. If this is what he wants, he's gonna go after it."

Damon locked eyes with Stefan before giving an eye-twirl, the unspoken words evident in his brother's bright eyes. "This is what he _thinks_ he wants," Damon said, as if it were obvious.

Alex caught on quickly. "You can't just compel him—he takes vervain with every meal. He's paranoid."

"Then lucky for us, we have an inside man," Damon said, smirking. He threw a sidelong glance to check on Elena, who was only staring worriedly off into a corner, and briefly wondered if he would get any points for being so pro-life.

The curls of Alex's dark hair bounced as she shook her head. "I don't see how that's gonna work. I can't be there all the time, watching when he does or doesn't take something."

Stefan's lips pursed. "You can if he's being monitored." A round of looks fell on him, questioning and prompting. "The hospital watches everything patients eat. He could be put under Meredith's care, and she could make sure he doesn't get any vervain."

"But how could we possibly even get him into the hospital now? He's had vampire blood. He's perfectly healthy," Alex pointed out.

If it hadn't been for the minute shift in eyes, Damon wouldn't have noticed Stefan looking at him again. A dark smile curved his lips. "I can deal with that."

Alex grew alarmed. "No, Damon, you can't—"

"Relax," he said, holding up a hand. "I promise not to kill him. Yet."

"For some reason, I don't believe you."

Stefan stepped between the two, giving them meaningful looks. "We're gonna have to work together on this, all right? If we don't want a body count we have to find a way to get along. Alex…" he looked at her, sympathetic. "If you don't think you can trust Damon, then trust me. And Damon…" Shifting his gaze to his older brother's, his eyes hardened. "Just try not to speak."

Damon quietly scoffed, plopping down on the couch beside Alex, an arm stretched out on the back of it. Stefan crossed the room to Elena, leaving the odd pair alone.

A slow, lethal smile crept onto Damon's dace. "So what'd you do with your boy toy last night?"

Alex turned a deep shade of red. "You're an ass. You purposely left me with him."

"Contrary to popular belief, sweetheart, I've got more important things to do than see which vampire is flirting with who."

"_Flirting_?" Alex took her turn to scoff, crossing her arms indignantly over her chest. "Is that what you call it? Because it feels a lot more like threatening."

Damon's smirk widened. "Are you always so dramatic?"

Anger bubbled in Alex's chest in an instant. She was sick of being bullied by vampires, of being pushed around and taunted. She stood. "He put his hands on me, Damon. He's trying to take advantage of me and _kill_ me—so don't you dare joke about it, all right? Just don't."

There was the tiniest flash of surprise in Damon's cold, light eyes, and maybe a pinch of admiration, too. He appraised Alex seriously for the first time, seeing the warrior's fortitude emulate the damsel image. "Fine," he said in a considering tone. "So what do you plan to do about it?"

Alex opened her mouth for a flurry of more angry comments, but stopped short, blinking. No one had asked her that before. What _she_ planned to do about it. Not Matt, not some other third party. Damon asked it as if he thought she could handle the problem herself. Disappointment blossomed in her chest, stemming from herself. "I—I'm not sure."

"You're not sure?" That glint of mocking reappeared. "If this is as serious as you claim, then you'd better figure something out. I doubt a vampire as old as Kol could remain amused with someone like you for so long."

_Ouch_, Alex thought, but she let the offhand comment slide off her. What could she do? She knew his weakness now. So what could she do about it?

Damon seemed to sense her cluelessness. He looked exasperated. "Turn the tables," he said simply.

Alex stared at him. "Huh?"

"Turn the tables," he repeated slowly, as if speaking to a child. "You said he put his hands on you. So put _your_ hands on _him_."

"That's gotta be the worst plan I've ever heard of."

"Are you sure about that?" Damon asked. "Think about it. If he thinks anything of you like I do, then that'll be what he least expects. And people like Kol like unexpected things. It'll give him a reason to keep you alive longer, which, in turn, will buy you more time to figure out a long term strategy." Damon sounded so reasonable, so logical, that Alex actually started to consider this idea.

Turn the tables. Apply pressure to the ice. But could she really do it? Was she willing to do it? Touching Kol… _Seducing_ him, if she understood Damon correctly, could be dangerous. He was completely unpredictable. And that was so wrong—it was like sleeping with the enemy. Not that she would ever allow things to get _that_ far. Hell no.

But it _was_ a plan, which was something more than she had when she started. Damon was right—she wasn't sure how much longer Kol might let her live. A few days, a few weeks. But changing things up, keeping him on his toes and keeping whatever part of him was so interested in her intrigued would buy her more time. She could figure out how to use his weakness against him and rid herself of him for good.

This could work. She could make it work.

But, oh God, could she do it?

* * *

><p>"You seem restless, brother," Elijah commented dryly when his youngest brother fell onto the couch in the dramatics of being overly exhausted, when they both knew that could not be the case.<p>

Kol's mouth was set in a fine line, his breathing controlled. He glared at Elijah. "Go croon over Rebekah. She came home smelling like tears."

"Mother's betrayal has cut her deepest," Elijah said sadly, casting a small glance towards the door. "You should show her some sympathy. They had been the closest, after all."

"Yes, how could I forget? I was only punished for all of Rebekah's doings for a good twenty years," Kol said bitterly. "It seems some things never change."

Elijah considered the younger sibling with eyes of a paternal figure. "Perhaps she wasn't the only one cut deep by this. It does not make you weak to feel pain or hurt, Kol. You're only weak to ignore it."

"Coming from the master of stoic, himself." Kol rolled his eyes. "Do not mistake my impatience for grieving, brother. I do not grieve."

"Then, pray tell, what has you so anxious?"

The face of one girl in particular rose in Kol's mind, unbidden and now, unwanted. A wave of emotions accompanied it: anger, perplexity, resentment, contempt, and at last, fascination. Her soft features, her wide, bright eyes that reflected Henrick's so much, that strange look of protectiveness on her face when he stood between him and his mother. Why did she have to do that?

He didn't want to think about it. He didn't want to consider it. All he wanted was a warm, pretty meal and an isolated place to enjoy it. Without another word, Kol pushed himself up and headed towards the front door, snatching up his jacket on the way. The door slammed shut in his wake.

"Finn."

Elijah simply had to say his brother's name to get his attention. Finn was before him in a flash, his eyes tired but alert.

"What is it, Elijah?"

Elijah stared at the door, pensive and quiet. "Keep an eye on Kol, will you? I fear he'll be the downfall of all of us."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Thank you all so much for the reviews! I seriously love you guys. Each review means so much to me and truly helps me get the motivation to continue this. I'd like to apologize if this seemed a little prolonged. I was recently hospitalized in the ICU for a while, so I wasn't anticipating a slower update.**

**I can promise some really dangerously hot stuff in the next chapter… What do you guys think of Damon's plan for Alex? Was it expected? I'd love to hear from you! It only takes a second to review, and it can speed up the lengthy process of updating!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Vampire Diaries. **

* * *

><p><strong>Ten<strong>

After accepting some liquid courage from Damon, Alex found herself shakily entering the Grille. Damon had said to put things in motion as soon as possible—who knew when Kol would fall off his rocker? Alex was jittery and nervous, but didn't want to dwell on what she was doing. She was certain she would talk herself out of it if she did.

Matt's shift had ended a few hours ago, so Alex wasn't expecting to find him anywhere. Her excuse was supposed to be that she was meeting up with James, but her brother was, in actuality, being set up to go to the hospital soon. This was the most obvious place to find Kol during the evening, and the least obvious place that might make her intentions appear suspicious.

And there he was, just like she had expected. Although what surprised her was the company he was keeping—Kol was smiling charmingly at a young blonde, chatting away with her in a manner Alex had witnessed all too well from the more promiscuous of her classmates. Could he have grown bored of her already?

Alex stopped, halfway to the bar, her eyes on him as she deliberated this. Just when she was thinking of escaping, when she entertained the thought of her liberation being so very easy, Kol's dark eyes fell on her. He ceased talking to the small blonde, evidently losing all interest in their conversation, lasering his focus on her. His eyes were dark and glinting; predatorily lustful and hungry. Alex could see that even from across the room.

The blonde tried vainly to gain the vampire's attention once more, but huffed in exasperation as he moved past her without a glance back. Alex felt her heart flip in her chest. She made a split-second decision and put herself directly in the path of the bullet—tearing her gaze away from the vampire's, she feigned a glance around the bar, as if looking for someone, before gliding off towards the back room. Her hands were clenched fists at her sides, her breathing just barely controlled. She knew Kol would follow her. She couldn't get this over with in front of people—no, they had to be alone.

The door to the back room was heavy; she pushed through it, letting it swing shut behind her. Nerves tingled all throughout her body, her skin crawled, and she felt light-headed. Part of her was screaming on the inside—this was everything she had avoided, being alone with that monster. But now everything counted on this. Her life was in her own hands, which was what she wanted. She wasn't putting anyone else in danger but herself. That was the only way she could live with herself.

If she would live after this.

"Looking for someone?"

Alex was tense, her muscles trembling. She sucked in a silent breath and turned around. Kol was only a few feet away from her, looking at her through dark eyelashes, drinking her in with his eyes. She hadn't even realized he had fastened the door shut behind him until she saw the lock.

She gulped audibly. "Matt," she said slowly. "I was looking for Matt."

Kol's eyes took on a mischievous light. "Is that so? How odd. He left hours ago. Considering how very close you two are, I would have thought you'd known that."

Could he see what she was trying to do? Would he kill her for trying to deceive him? Alex could hear police sirens blare inside her head, could see a wall of ice erect itself in front of her, freezing her in place. _Apply pressure_, she urged herself. _You have to do this._

"He was supposed to meet me here," she tried, remembering her cover story, strengthening her voice. "My brother—James is coming."

"How unfortunate for him." Kol's teeth glinted as he approached her. His irises were swallowed up by his pupils, turning black and depthless. "It's strangely foolish of you to be out all alone, little Alex. I thought I made myself clear last night—should we cross paths again, I wouldn't hesitate to take what I want."

Alex just barely held her ground. She couldn't look him in the eyes; hers were glued to the floor, dreadful but determined. "You never told me what you wanted," she managed quietly.

Kol leaned forward to catch her words, his smile teasing. "Didn't I?" He stepped close to her, his body brushing hers. Alex's temples throbbed painfully as he brushed her hair away from her neck, placing his lips close to it. His fangs were out; they were sharp as needles, running over her skin delicately, spiking every nerve along the way. Alex gasped. "I want your blood," he said in a low voice. His hands grabbed her hips, pulling her roughly against him. "I want your body." She could feel his breath tickle just below her ears, the heat of him as he pressed himself against her. She could feel so much of Kol's body that she shivered. "But most of all," he continued, grazing his fangs over her bare shoulder, running his fingers under the hem of her shirt, "I want your innocence." He hissed the last word vehemently, forcing Alex to spring forward, gritting her teeth together.

Kol didn't let her get very far. He grabbed her by the arms and shoved her up against the far wall, pressing her front into it as he pressed into her from behind. She couldn't see the dark veininess of his eyes, the hatred and anger burning in his expression. Alex pinched her eyes shut and breathed, thinking as quickly as she could.

"So what are you waiting for?" She grit out, her voice hoarse.

Having expected resistance and retaliation, Kol, briefly surprised, didn't register his grip slackening on her. Alex took advantage of the moment and turned around to face him. The front of her body was still terribly close to his—she could feel every rise and fall of his chest, she could feel the tension in his hard muscles.

Slowly, she looked up and met his piercing gaze. How was she supposed to do this? Alex had never so much as kissed a boy before Kol had forced his lips on hers. She had never _seduced_ someone before—especially not a thousand year old vampire who certainly had plenty of experience in that department. What could she offer him that he hadn't already had? How could she keep his attention when he could just as easily snap her neck and have his pick of some experienced woman?

It was innocence, she realized. That was what he said—most of all, he wanted her innocence. So maybe just being herself, maybe that would be enough. Maybe she could buy herself some more time. Maybe she didn't have to be some sex kitten to do this.

Standing there, looking up at this monster, she began to have doubts. She remembered what Damon had told her before she left: don't think about it, just do it. _Just do it_.

Tapping into an inexpressibly deeper part of herself, Alex let her hands do as they wanted. She reached out, tentatively, and rested her palms flat against his chest. Kol stiffened, his eyes narrowing into slits, watching her every move scrupulously. She could feel his undead heart beat in her fingertips, surprisingly staccato and quick. Alex never thought vampires still had heartbeats. She stared at his chest curiously, before meeting his eyes again.

_Don't think about it_.

Her hands slid up his chest slowly, meeting the curve of his strong collarbone, touching the muscles in his neck. Kol remained still as stone, his eyes darkening impossibly more. She couldn't read a thing off him—he was entirely inhuman in that moment. But she didn't dare stop.

Her fingers brushed over his face, his strong cheekbones, his defined jawbone, his full bottom lip and smaller upper lip. She searched his face for any traces of the boy he had once been; was it possible for someone to lose everything about themselves entirely? To obliterate who they once were and replace it with this poisonous being? What had he been like, when he was human? Had he still been so heartless, so sadistic? Or was this face—this truly beautiful face—the last remaining part of who he once was, the only betrayal of his once innocent past?

Alex blinked, having been lost in the moment. She had never seen Kol smile—genuinely smile. She had never heard him laugh freely, speak freely and amicably. She doubted she ever would. The look on his face when confronting his mother returned to her—that deeply cut look of betrayal, the look she had seen so many times in her own expression. Maybe he had been ruined.

Snapping her out of this strange reverie, Kol grasped her hands roughly, pulling them away from him as he pressed her once more into the wall. His eyes were glass and fire and rock; unreadable, unending, burning and bright. The moment had only lasted seconds, but those seconds had been too long for him. A low growl emitted from his chest, and Alex could feel it vibrate throughout her body.

He leaned down close to her ear. "I see you've learned games of your own, little Alex." His voice was a lower octave than normal, deadly. "But you shouldn't play games when you don't know the rules."

"Kol," she said, breathy, closing her eyes to all reason. "Just shut up."

A leap of faith or a leap of death, she wouldn't know until she had done it. Alex pushed up on her tip toes and caught his lips, gambling with her life. It was the only way to really surprise him, she knew. It was the only way to convince him to grant her more time.

This time, this kiss, it wasn't dominated by Kol. She controlled it, she provoked it. It wasn't bruising or passionate or deadly. She kissed him softly, the way she had always imagined kissing a boy. She wrapped her arms around her neck, linking them together, and let everything go, sinking forward into him, letting him support her weight. His hands were hot as fire, his touch leaving paths of flame as they moved to clinch onto her. Alex gasped out, surprised at the strange stir of emotion within her, at the heat gathering between her thighs.

Part of her was repulsed. _Kol_, it screamed. She was kissing _Kol_. But another part of her, one she didn't fully understand or even know was there, was simply soaring. It was beatific and blissful, like her head was in the clouds and her body was floating in heaven.

Then reality hit her like a tidal wave.

Kol had flinched hard. Kol, the Original vampire, the heartless demon, the boy who always needed to be in control. The boy who played with people like dolls before tossing them aside and searching for new interests. This was wholly unacceptable to that boy, and he would let her know.

He snarled as she kissed him, his fangs slicing down and out, piercing her lip. Alex gave a cry and tried to squirm from him, but he replanted his hands firmly on her hips and took control.

And just like that, he could hear it. He could hear Alex's whimpers like Henrick's on all those nights when he had curled up next to Kol, looking for a reprieve from his nightmares. When Henrick would latch onto Kol around the waist during the nights of the full moon while the werewolves howled off in the forest as they were tucked safely away in the caves.

Kol roared inhumanly, smashing his fist into the wall behind Alex's head, sending spider web cracks in all directions. Alex was still trying futilely to pull away from him, but he wouldn't have it. When he looked down into her face, she froze still, her lips parted, her eyes frightened and shiny.

Her blood dripped down his chin, making him every bit the monster his soul claimed him to be. Alex wondered harrowingly if she had taken things too far. Was this a mistake? Was Damon wrong, after all?

Would this speed up her death rather than slow it down?

Kol seethed. He blamed her for this. All those memories of his baby brother had been tucked away, kept out of sight and mind, for centuries. How could one girl uproot his past and throw it back in front of him?

He grabbed her arms, his touch leaving dark bruises behind, and sped off into the night with one thing on his mind.

* * *

><p>Save for the loud beeping just above his head, all was silent in the room. At least James assumed it was a room because he could feel a stiff mattress under him and the whirl of cool air brushing down from above.<p>

His muscles felt spent to their max. As he tried flexing his hand, he groaned. He didn't necessarily feel pain—just a certain soreness only achievable by going days on end without rest. Something was sticking out of his arms, he could tell, and the sound of a liquid being dispensed came from beside him. There was clicking and whizzing and breathing, all the sounds beleaguering him into pinching his eyes shut further.

"James?"

He just barely recognized the soft feminine voice. Prying his eyes open, he fought to look against the glare of the lights.

Meredith Fell stood over him in a crisply immaculate white lab coat, her big eyes full of concern.

"What happened?" His voice sounded rough and hoarse, like he hadn't spoken for days. He cleared his throat and tried to sit up.

Meredith put a gentle hand on his chest, keeping him down. "You shouldn't move. We're still running tests. What do you remember?"

Blinking, James tried to recall the past twenty-four hours. All he could remember was seeing Alex and that strange bandage on her neck. He looked back at Meredith and demanded more forcefully, "What happened?"

Meredith looked down at him sadly. "We don't know yet. You were left at the ER a few hours ago."

"By who?"

Meredith raised her shoulders in a rueful shrug. "We don't know. You should get some rest, James. I'll be back in when we get the lab results back." And just like that, Meredith left him to mull over this by himself, dimming the lights in the hospital room on her way out.

Damon and Alaric were standing outside impatiently. Damon scowled at anything that moved, which ended up being Meredith, herself. Alaric looked uncomfortable.

"What did he say?" Damon asked, crossing his arms.

Meredith shook her head. "He doesn't seem to remember anything. But that doesn't mean he won't, eventually. The vampire blood should keep him stable for a while, and I'll try to fend off his suspicions for as long as I can. There's only so long I can keep saying that the lab results aren't back yet. What about Alex?"

"She's being taken care of," Damon said.

Alaric frowned. "Your version of 'taken care of' isn't usually a good one, Damon."

Damon twirled his eyes. "She's fine," he insisted. "Should be taking care of her own problems, actually."

This didn't seem to quell Alaric's suspicions, but his weariness precluded him from questioning any further.

"Are we done here?" Damon asked pointedly to Meredith. She nodded her head in acquiescence, glancing warily back over her shoulder at the now darkened room.

"Good," Damon said, slapping a hand on Alaric's shoulder. He steered his friend down the hallway, not glancing back.

* * *

><p>"I thought we discussed why it's not a good idea to ignore my calls, Alex," Matt grumbled into the phone with a hint of annoyance, walking up the sidewalk to her house. "I'm coming by to check on you, which you'd know if you checked your messages."<p>

He ended the call and stuffed the phone in his pocket, striding onto the porch. He waited several minutes after knocking, standing stock-still and listening intently for any movement inside the house. He rang the doorbell several times and repeated the antics, waiting for someone to answer.

A pinch of worry punctured his stomach.

She could be out, he thought reasonably. She did have a life before all this crap, after all. She could be with James somewhere.

The worry soon multiplied. _I'll check the house, just to be sure_, he told himself as he sought out the key and unlocked the front door.

The ambient sound, as usual, contained the humming of the refrigerator and the whoosh of air conditioning sifting through the vents. Matt took several steps in, looking around for any signs of habitants. Nothing seemed out of place.

On a whim, Matt turned and headed up the stairs, traversing down the hall until arriving at Alex's bedroom. Still nothing seemed amiss. Relief poured into his chest, allowing his shoulders to relax. He was just overreacting. But after everything that had happened to them, he didn't think that was a bad thing.

Just as he was turning to head back down the hall, a small piece of paper caught his eye. It wouldn't have appeared out of the ordinary had it not been on Alex's bed, propped up against a teddy bear, and printed in large black letters that sought his attention. He approached it warily and picked it up, his eyes perusing the quickly scribbled message.

_Matt—_

_If I haven't checked in by seven, tell Damon. He'll know what's happened. I'm sorry I didn't tell you, but I knew you'd talk me out of it. I'm doing my best. _

_Love you—_

_` Alex_

Matt's heart dropped to his stomach. A nervous sweat broke out on his forehead. He raised his eyes to check the red alarm clock on the bedside table, feeling dreadfully worse.

It was well past eight.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Hey guys—thanks for all the well-wishes. I'm out of the ICU and thankfully back home. Hopefully it was just some weird fluke! Now, on to the story. So many thanks for the reviews! It really is nice to know that this story is appreciated, because I honestly put a lot of hard work into it. **

**So we see a little of Alex putting her plan into motion, and I'm telling you, it doesn't stop there. I would also like to make note of the fact that, yes, we will see some of the softer sides of Kol, but he will NOT be going soft. Not at all. Everyone has their cracks, right? And in order to further this story, we have to see some of Kol's softer sides. But, damn, is he still going to remain one wicked sonovvabitch. (:**

**Please review and give me your thoughts. I can update much quicker!**


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Vampire Diaries. **

**A/N: Quick note: this chapter explores Kol a little more, but don't fret. He will not be going soft. Everyone has layers to them, though. Even someone as wicked as Kol.**

* * *

><p><strong>Eleven<strong>

It was hard to decipher the difference between Damon sounding annoyed and Damon just sounding like Damon.

"Slow down, will ya?" Yes, Matt thought, Damon definitely sounded annoyed. "Now repeat it _slowly._"

"Alex never checked in," Matt relayed in as calm a voice as he could manage. "She left a note saying that if she didn't check in by seven, I should call you. She said you'd know what's happened. It's way past eight. What's going on, Damon? What the hell is going on?"

Damon remained silent for several seconds as Matt held his breath, ready to burst.

"Goddamnit," Damon grumbled finally. "God_damnit_, I don't need this right now."

* * *

><p>The world around Alex meshed together, colors bleeding into one another, places and people blurred and surreal. Kol was moving so fast, she doubted that anyone they passed had even noticed them. She had a vague impression of spotting car lights, the Founder's fountain, and then it was simply dark.<p>

Her stomach twisted into knots and she clung to Kol for dear life, digging her fingernails into the back of his neck. Fear threatened to overwhelm her—had she messed up? Was he taking her somewhere to kill her? Would she never see her friends again, her brother?

When the rocketing speed finally came to an abrupt cessation, Alex wobbled back and forth, her eyes pinched shut against the nausea rolling through her, her arms wrapped around Kol for support. He immediately pried her hands from around his neck and shoved her forward unceremoniously to the ground.

Surprised, Alex looked up. She had fallen on her back into cold, crisp grass, her arms splayed out behind her to brace her fall. Kol stood above her, his features warped into the most gruesome look she had ever witnessed. A silent cry fell from her lips, her body paralyzed in fear. She tried to scurry backwards, but Kol's sharp snarl stilled her.

"Is this what you wanted, little brother?" Kol's voice rang outwards and echoed as he shouted angrily at nothing tangible.

Alex didn't realize until that moment that they were surrounded by trees, their spidery branches reaching out at the night sky above them. She recognized the spot. This was the forest next to Mystic Fall's cemetery, where her mother was buried. Looking back to Kol, she saw an expression of sheer madness burn in his eyes as he looked all around for something she couldn't quite see.

"Is this what you wanted? To taunt me?" His voice sounded plaintive and wretched. Alex could barely stand witness this side of him, whatever this might be. It was the face of someone grieving and heartbroken; it was the way her brother looked after her mother died, the way her father was driven away from them from the loss. It was so _human_. She wondered briefly if he had, in fact, lost his mind, which terrified her clear to her bones.

Who was he talking to? Little brother? Since when did Kol have a younger brother? Why did he take her here? She could only stare up at him while he took stiff, angry steps in every direction, balling his hands into fists.

"A thousand years, Henrick, and you still haven't forgiven me?" The moonlight caught Kol's eyes and Alex sobbed for him. They were shiny with unshed tears, wide and luminous. Kol looked so boyish in that instant that it was heartrending. He looked lost and mournful, so completely opposite his typical demeanor that it rendered Alex incapable of any movement. She was astounded and disturbed. How could this be the same person who tormented her, whose wicked smiles sent shudders up her spine?

"What must I do, brother?" His voice broke with strain. If Alex didn't know any better, she would have expected him to fall to his knees. He almost did, too, but he clutched onto a sturdy oak tree instead, keeping himself up as he searched the forest for a little boy that wasn't there. "What must I do to rid myself of you?"

He smashed his fist into the tree, raining splinters of wood to the ground like sawdust. The muscles in his back were taut and tense; veins popped up in his arms and temples.

The smell of forest and pine slowly cleared Alex's head. She blinked up at her tormentor, saddened yet fearful. Had he forgotten her presence? Could she escape? Kol seemed so absorbed in his lamenting that she wasn't sure he even registered the leaves crunching under her feet as she stood up.

A strong gust of cold wind nearly toppled Alex back to the ground, but she steadied herself on a crooked tree. She was completely taken by surprise—the night had been fairly warm and void of any movement for hours. Suddenly, it felt like a storm was brewing in the sky above. Electricity sparked the air, tinged it with a sharp, tangible taste. She could sense something that hadn't been there before, something that prickled goose bumps on her arms and made her grit her teeth together. Whatever was happening, she didn't like it.

Kol had sensed the shift in the air as well. He face was twisted in pain, eyes closed, as if he couldn't bear to breathe.

"I'll do anything," he whispered so faintly, Alex wasn't sure she if he had even spoken.

Wiping the warm tears from her cheeks, Alex breathed as quietly as she could. She needed to get out of here. She needed to get away from him. She could think about a way to salvage Damon's plan later on—first, she had to make sure there would _be_ a later on.

Stepping back cautiously, she edged towards the cemetery. Her boot caught on a stick and snapped it. The noise pierced through the wind, catching Kol's attention like fire.

He froze completely. The shift in his stance made a flurry of panic surge through Alex's stomach. She knew what was coming. She hadn't realized tears were rolling down her cheeks again until they began to drip from her chin.

He turned around, his black, fathomless eyes boring straight into hers. Never before had a mere look from someone been so _painful_. Her breath was caught in her throat, and she stilled entirely, waiting for the inevitable.

His fangs were drawn. Was it possible for them to be even longer and sharper, or was it just Alex's fear overwhelming her?

A whimper escaped from her lips and she stumbled backwards, falling once more to the leaf-covered forest floor. He slowly advanced towards her, his stance predatory and calculated. He looked nothing like a human or the little boy he had a moment ago, but entirely feral, like a bloodthirsty animal. Something in him had snapped, and Alex wasn't sure if it was permanent or not.

Running would get her nowhere, she knew. She couldn't outrun him. He liked his hunts. Could she possibly reason with him?

"Kol," she said, her voice pitchy and wavering. "_Kol_, please, just please listen. Don't do this. You don't have to do this." She crawled backwards, scraping her hands against twigs and scraps of bark that littered the ground.

He growled, long and low. It was as if he didn't see her anymore—he just saw flesh and blood, something to kill.

Something inside Alex knew that he had seen more than that, before. She suddenly knew it very clearly. This wasn't all about the hunt—this game he'd been playing with her. There was something deeper to it, and although she didn't know what, she knew this wasn't all. Had all he wanted from her was a meal, he would have already taken it. Like he was going to right now, it seemed.

"Kol," she nearly blubbered as he grew closer and closer. Shadows fell on his face, casting the angles of his features in shades of black and grey. "Kol!"

He was so far gone, she realized. Looming over her, his teeth gleamed, his black eyes flashing. Alex was about to pinch her eyes shut to block what he would do to her when something caught her attention.

A bird cried shrilly, taking off into flight just feet from Alex's head. Her gaze snapped upwards out of instinct. Just above her, scrawled in a splash of moonlight on the dark bark of an oak behind her, Alex could make out writing.

"Henrick," she whispered, reading it with awe. Henrick was real?

Kol stopped. His fangs sunk back into the gums of his mouth with an audible click, his expression carefully masked and cut off from the world. He, too, looked up. His shoulders fell, his tense muscles slackening as if they had held too much weight. Alex knew he had spotted it, too—the strangely bright flower that had grown next to the etched words, vibrantly red and shaped like a heart, like a message from Mother Nature.

Heart.

Alex Heart.

Could it be a coincidence?

Kol's face folded as he looked to the sky. "Leave me in peace, then," he said with resignation, his voice hoarse and spent. Alex felt like she was listening to a one-sided conversation. Could Kol sense something more that she couldn't? Did he really think he was talking to his brother? "Just leave, Henrick."

Alex's labored breathing mixed with the wind and rattling of branches as she stared up at Kol, fear perceptible in wide her eyes. And just like that, the wind ceased, the branches and leaves fell silent, the presence they had sensed was no more. Kol's face slowly hardened back into stone, leaving her breathless and wondering if what had transpired was real or not.

The heart-shaped flower fell from above, fluttering to land on the ground beside her to brush her hand.

* * *

><p>Elijah had been pacing for several hours. It was unlike him to show such a sign of worry. Rebekah and even Klaus had commented on it several times, their worry hidden behind a thousand years of stone and glass. But Finn's suggestion had dug beneath his skin in a way nothing had in several lifetimes.<p>

He would have to see Katerina soon. Very soon.

If she was, in fact, in Mystic Falls, as was suspected. Elijah had many allies throughout the vampire community—collaborated more out of intimidation than love or loyalty, but allies nonetheless. Certainly he could reach out and verify the suspicion. He had even picked up his phone several times in an attempt to.

Part of him really didn't want to know.

The Petrovas were like fire; they ate at him and ate at him until he was consumed. Tatia, Katerina, and now Elena… It was cruel to throw the face of his first love in front of him time and again, but perhaps it was a fate he had secured for himself a thousand years ago.

Katerina had not left as much as an imprint on his heart as Tatia and Elena. Perhaps when she had been human and more innocent, she had, but not anymore. She was the essence of what he despised about himself. She brought out the worst in him, as Elena brought out the best. No, his emotional ties to Katerina had been severed years ago.

So why did it bother him so much?

As if an offer of reprieve from these tormenting thoughts, Elijah heard the door open quietly behind him. Glancing over his shoulder, he found Finn entering the room. There was an unconscious frown on his brother's face, a crease of worry between his eyebrows. It was the look in his dark eyes that startled Elijah the most.

"What's happened?" Elijah asked, his voice bearing just a hint of weariness. It seemed that his entire existence had been plagued with bad omens. After finishing one battle, he was forced to fight another.

Finn held Elijah's gaze, something the other siblings would not have done. This was what Elijah admired about him: no matter the consequence, Finn always looked head on into things. He accepted the blame when apt, he apologized when necessary; but most of all, he tried his best to right his wrongs.

"It's Kol," Finn said breathily. "I lost him."

Elijah sighed heavily. Nothing seemed to go right anymore.

* * *

><p>"Forcing yourself into a heart attack is hardly helping," Damon said with a roll of his eyes as Matt paced back and forth in front of him. Damon rolled the glass of bourbon around, looking at it absently. They were in the Salvatore boardinghouse, surrounded by musty books and antique furniture. The smell of rain permeated the air, as a light drizzle had fallen from the skies for the past several minutes. The grey, baleful glow of the darkening night matched Matt's mood perfectly.<p>

"Drinking away your problems isn't helping either," Matt snapped. Normally he was more prudent. It wasn't wise to lose his temper with Damon—the vampire was unpredictable at best. But images of Vicki prodded at him, and the worry blossoming in his chest was consuming.

"It's for brainstorming," Damon retorted. "You should try it."

Matt stopped abruptly, throwing his hands in the air as he glared at the vampire. "This is your fault, Damon. I swear to God if something happens to her because of _you_—"

"Now now," Damon said in a patronizing tone, eyes narrowing. "Let's not go heedlessly throwing blame around. Alex is an adult—she makes her own decisions. It's not my fault she chose to pay heed to something I may or may not have said."

Matt fumed. "Tell me what you told her," he said threateningly. "This has to do with Kol, doesn't it? _Tell me_."

Damon pursed his lips. His eyes glinted mischievously. "No."

As Matt lunged at him, Damon gracefully sidestepped the attack, looking completely unruffled.

"This isn't some stupid game, Damon!" Matt shouted, his temper flaring. His eyes flashed in a way Damon had never seen them do before. "She could die!"

Damon allowed silence to follow Matt's outburst. He watched as the teenage boy tried to control his breathing—his chest went from heaving to barely suppressed huffs. His eyes were no less hostile.

"Of course it's a game, you idiot," said Damon. "Haven't you realized that yet? That's all the Originals do—they play games. Alex is just another pawn to them. Yeah, she could die. We all could. So what makes her so special, Matt? Why should I go out of my way to help her?"

As Damon ranted with that annoyingly blasé tone of his, Matt's face saddened more and more until finally he was looking down at his hands. "Because she's all I have left," he finally said, his voice just barely above a hoarse whisper. "Elena's too consumed with you and Stefan. Caroline's with Tyler now—and there's something up with Klaus, too. Everyone else at school—they just don't get it. They don't know the things I know. Alex is all I have left, Damon." He looked up, holding the vampire's unreadable gaze. "I'll do anything."

The corners of Damon's lips curved downwards in a deep frown. He shook his head, sighing heavily. "Where do we start?"

After several hours of searching high and low for Alex, Matt found himself sitting on her front porch steps, hopes deflated like a slashed balloon. His head was slumped forward in his hands as he massaged his temples, praying for some kind of miracle. Damon leaned against the railing beside him, his eyes taking in every shift in movement in the neighborhood. The moon was at its peak overhead; it was well into the early morning.

"What did you tell her to do?" Matt's voice broke the silence quietly. His exhaustion shone through the strains in his voice and the hunch of his posture. It was perhaps the fifth time that night he asked Damon this question, to no avail.

Damon pressed his lips together. "Something stupid," he said simply.

Matt sighed. "How stupid, exactly?"

Shifting his weight, Damon's gaze flitted down to the fair-haired boy. His look said all Matt needed to know.

"Why?" Matt asked fervently. "Why would you tell her to do anything at all?"

For the first time since knowing him, Matt saw Damon's face take on an uncharacteristically remorseful expression. There was an unconscious frown on his lips.

"What is it?" Matt pressed, sensing the solemn air. Damon said nothing. "What aren't you telling me?"

Damon finally tore his gaze away from staring off into the middle-distance. He met Matt's eyes, his own narrowed, until finally divulging curtly: "I know who killed her mother."

Matt didn't dare breathe. He replayed the words over and over in his head, trying to make sense of them, to rationalize what he had heard.

"You—you what?"

"I've been trying to warn her," Damon went on as if Matt hadn't spoken. "She doesn't get it."

"Warn her about what?" Matt was standing now, looking directly at Damon, who once more wouldn't meet his gaze. "What are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about Alaric," Damon snapped suddenly, anger rising in his electric blue eyes. "She told you—I know she did. Alaric's getting too dangerous."

Matt gaped. "You're saying—you're saying _Alaric_ killed her mom?"

"Yes," Damon bit out.

Matt felt numb. All this time, after all these years—how did it make sense? How could it possibly make sense? Before he had any time to ponder it further, his cell phone started buzzing in his pocket. He jerked into action, yanking it out before looking at the screen.

Damon rolled his eyes. "By the look on your face, either Jesus is calling, or you no longer need my help finding your little girlfriend."

Matt pressed the phone to his ear, his eyes alight with worry. "Alex?"

"Matt?" Her soft voice sounded worn on the other end. Something wasn't right, he knew. He pinched his eyes shut and breathed in.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I just want to say thank you for all the reviews! I'm so humbled by them! You guys are amazing… Sorry for the wait—I've been crazy busy with getting back to school. **

**Pretty please tell me what you think of this chapter? ****This is really crucial to the next part of the story and it was so hard to write.**** I want to hear your feedback so I can modify it from there. Alex and Kol's 'relationship' is at a really important point right now, and there are several ways I can take it. (None of which involve Kol going completely or significantly "soft".) Also… if you wouldn't mind, can you tell me what you think of my writing? I'm still a little self-conscious about it! Please please review! **


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Vampire Diaries.**

* * *

><p><strong>Twelve<strong>

"Do not look at me like that," Kol spat furiously, squeezing his hands into fists to restrain his anger. "Don't you _dare_."

Alex wasn't sure what to do, what to say. She had just witnessed something she was never supposed to see. Kol's weak side, the part of him that could still feel, that could still hurt. She could do two things with this information: use it against him like she intended, or do as her heart wanted and feel for him.

Alex was never a good liar. Not even with simple things.

She called on her courage.

"I know who you are," she said quietly.

Kol's gaze was piercing. "What?"

"I know who you are," Alex repeated, slowly collecting her bearings as she stood. "You're cruel, Kol, but not all the way through."

"Say one more word," he said threateningly, "and I will tear your heart from your chest. Poetic justice, don't you think?"

Alex steeled herself. "No, you won't. You won't," she said with more conviction. "Henrick wouldn't want you to."

"I don't give a _fuck_ what Henrick wants!" Kol screamed at her, releasing all his rage, his loathing and hatred.

Alex flinched, taking a small step backwards. But she didn't give up. She couldn't. "That's not true. He was here—you could feel him. So could I. I couldn't hear him, but from what I gathered… he doesn't want you to hurt me, does he?"

Kol was seething. His face was literally white with rage, he was so angry. He took three short steps towards Alex, barring his fangs. "I should have killed you when I had the chance," he bit out. "You are an ignorant, naive little girl. You are _pathetic_," he spat vehemently.

Alex had had enough. Enough of the harassment, the threatening, the constant paranoia. His words hurt more than she would have thought, and she had had enough of it. Whether she was numbed by recklessness or a sort of courage, she would never know.

She stepped into Kol's face, scowling. "No_, you_ are pathetic," she said in a cutting tone, taking him by surprise. "You're the most pitiful person I know. A thousand years and you haven't grown up, Kol! You haven't evolved, you haven't done a speck of good in this world! You're drowning in guilt from the past—I can _see _it—and you can't even admit it to yourself! I might not be as strong as you, I might not know as much as you do, but I know this: you can cut yourself off from the world to protect yourself, but you're just damaging yourself more. Just _look _at you. You're a mess. A pathetic mess."

She ended her speech, her chest puffing out, her eyes locked on his. For the first time since being in his presence, she didn't feel fear or hatred. She didn't feel weak or small. She just felt sad for him.

Kol stared at her. The boyish look returned to his face, the luminous eyes—the beauty of him. It was such an inappropriate time to take note of it, but it was entirely true. He was utterly speechless. Alex couldn't tell if his reaction would be more outrage or something else entirely.

"Kol?"

It was Elijah, stepping carefully into the small clearing. His posture spoke volumes of his thoughts: his steps were careful, eyes reserved and calculating yet suspicious. In all, he held back some distance, observing the scene before him as a surgeon would scrutinize a patient.

Finn stood behind him, the very same look on his face. His eyes remained on Alex, though, which she found utterly unnerving. There was no way to guess what the old vampire was thinking.

Elijah stepped forward more, approaching his youngest brother as he would a cornered animal. He obviously sensed Kol's fragile state of mind. "Brother," he said casually, as if they weren't standing in the middle of a forest during an absurd time of night. "I thought I might find you here."

Kol's eyes didn't move from Alex. "The ever-wise Elijah," he muttered, though it sounded eerily like something he was repeating, Alex realized.

"It's late," Elijah said, now at Kol's side. He placed a hand on his brother's shoulder, gently. "Rebekah is worried over you and we have things to discuss."

Kol blinked. An array of emotions crossed his face before he settled for cold indifference. He nodded, peeling his eyes from Alex. "Of course. Might we be going then? I think I'm quite finished with tonight's festivities."

Kol was gone before Alex could call bullshit, leaving Elijah and Finn behind to exchange odd glances. At some unspoken agreement, Elijah left, leaving Alex in Finn's care.

"Miss Heart," he said, then stopped, apparently at a loss for words. He tried again. "I apologize deeply for my brother's behavior. As you can tell, he's somewhat… out of touch."

Alex's shoulders slumped. She hadn't realized until that moment how very, very tired she was. She just wanted to curl up in a warm bed and sleep this night away, to forget it ever happened. "He's more than that," she said quietly.

Finn's mouth pressed together in agreement. "Indeed, he is. Are you harmed?"

Alex looked down at herself. Her clothes were a little dirty, but she wasn't hurt. Her lip was sore from when he had sliced it open after she kissed him; that was her own fault, though. "No," she said after a moment. "No, I'm okay." She raised her eyes to Finn's, tired and sad. "Can you take me home?"

"Of course," Finn said. He held out his hand to her. "I'm afraid I'm lacking a vehicle, but I can take you there myself."

Before tonight, Alex might have been hesitant to let any vampire touch her, But she didn't care anymore. She simply didn't. Stepping forward, she too Finn's cool hand, marveling at how very similar it was to Kol's long, artist fingers.

She paused. "Actually," she said, "can you take me to my friend's house? My brother might hunt Kol down if he sees me right now."

Finn nodded. After receiving proper directions, he sped off with Alex in his grip. But she didn't feel Finn's hands holding onto her arms, her waist. She felt Kol's, mere hours ago, when he had done the very same thing.

Matt's front porch light was on, emanating comfort and safety. Finn took Alex straight to the door and took two large steps back, giving her space enough to feel comfortable. He gave her a sincere apologetic look before turning to leave.

"Finn," Alex called, surprising herself and the ancient vampire. He turned, eyes wary but light. "I'm sorry. About Henrick, I mean."

His mouth parted in surprise. Before he could say anything, Alex ducked inside Matt's house, closing her eyes as the cool air enveloped her and settled her nerves.

It was evident by the ringing silence in the house that no one was home. Her body moved of its own accord to the couch, where she collapsed with a heavy sigh.

She didn't want to feel sad for Kol. She didn't want to feel anything for him. He didn't deserve it—not after everything he did to her. But she couldn't help it. No matter how many times she went over their past meetings, his threats, the dreams he forced he to have, the fear that had burrowed deep inside her since the night they met—no matter how many times she made herself relive those things, she just couldn't find it in her to condemn him to the same treatment. She was better than that.

Her thoughts were a swirl of confusion. Alex just wanted to shut her mind off for the night, to night think and over-think things.

She just wanted Kol out of her head.

So she picked up the phone and dialed the one person who could help her.

"Alex?" Matt answered the phone with his voice straining, like he was trying to hide his worry, but failed miserably at it.

"Matt?" She knew she didn't sound any better. "I'm at your house. Can you please come home?"

* * *

><p>Not even the rising sun could quell Finn's unease.<p>

Everything was spinning out of control. He had been forced into oblivion nearly nine hundred years ago, only to awaken to war and death.

His family hadn't changed in the slightest.

There was Niklaus's obsession with the hybrids; Rebekah's strange feelings towards the human boy, which wouldn't be a problem if she didn't seem on the verge of killing him nearly all the time; there was Elijah's need to keep the family glued together; there was Kol's strange obsession with Alex Heart, his back and forth capricious whims regarding his obvious feelings for the girl, though Kol would never admit it to himself; there was Finn's own need to get away from this all, to separate himself from the madness. And then to top it all off, his mother wanted them all dead.

A thousand years, and still they did not understand the concept of peace.

Thinking back to Miss Heart's last words to him, Finn was surprised all over again. Henrick. She knew of Henrick. Of course when he and Elijah had reached Kol and Alex, they had been at Henrick's final resting place. Kol had been the closest to their youngest sibling; he had felt the deepest pain for his loss. Time should have faded the scars, but it was evident they were still as fresh as they were a millennium ago.

For Kol to even inadvertently share this place with Alex was a big step, something Finn wasn't entirely sure he understood. What he did understand was his youngest undead brother's fascination with the Heart girl, and what exactly it seemed to be leading to. Finn had seen it for himself—the obvious similitude between Alex's soft nature and Henrick's. That was probably what drew Kol to her in the first place.

But when would Kol realize this?

A ring startled Finn. He was puzzled a moment before discovering that the source of it was his new cell phone. He pulled the tiny piece of technology from his pocket and stared at it wondrously. His mother was calling, it said.

Technology baffled him more than his own siblings.

He answered it and held it to his ear, unaccustomed, though learning.

"Mother?"

"Finn," Ester's voice came through clearly. "We must meet. It is time to discuss our next step."

Finn held in a sigh. "Of course," he said instead, standing. "Where?"

* * *

><p>Elijah was hovering, and he knew it. There was nothing that aggravated his siblings more than feeling crooned over. But the situation was so unique from anything else he had ever experienced, he wasn't sure what else to do.<p>

"Elijah," Kol said with a hint of petulance and a lot of impatience. "If you do not give me space, I will steal your phone and text the doppelganger. I'm certain she'd love to know she has another admirer."

"As you admire Alex," Rebekah spoke up snidely, with a leer.

Kol growled. He zipped across the room, took Rebekah's phone in his hands, and crushed it to dust.

"Hey!" she shouted. "I was using that!"

Kol smirked at her. "Whatever happened to the classic way of writing love poems, Bekah? Though back then, poets did not drool as much as you."

"Nor you," she countered icily. "You're only cranky because you lie to yourself."

Kol seethed. "Who is the one lying to themselves, Bek? The vampire who embraces his nature or the one who thinks a human could be her soul mate?"

Rebekah stood, her shoulders squared back. From across the room, Elijah watched it all unfold.

"You're forgetting the vampire who is blind to his own intentions!" Rebekah shot back at Kol. "Do you only know how to be miserable, brother?"

"I don't know what you mean," Kol said with an air of dismissal, returning to his seat on the couch.

Rebekah opened her mouth to start again, but Elijah sent her a quelling look. She snapped her mouth shut and stormed from the room, muttering about having to order a new phone.

Elijah carefully seated himself across from Kol, a coffee table sitting between them.

He appraised his brother with hesitance. "Kol," he said delicately. "Would you like to tell me what's gotten into you?"

Kol's lips pulled into a snarl. "No."

"You're acting like a child," Elijah chided him. Kol pointedly turned his attention to a book, stubbornly refusing to acknowledge Elijah's presence. The elder Original sighed. "What happened tonight?"

"If you'd really like to help, Elijah," Kol snapped icily, "you can leave me in peace."

Elijah made to protest, but thought better of it. He would speak to his brother when his temper has simmered. Standing, Elijah left the room.

Kol glanced up, his brow furrowed angrily, his stance tense. He looked back down to the book in his hands before groaning and tossing it across the room.

Wuthering Heights had never been his favorite novel.

* * *

><p>"We need to talk," Damon said without preamble, setting his jacket on the foyer table. Matt had just left him in favor of going to Alex, so Damon had headed straight to the Gilbert house, aware that Elena was elsewhere.<p>

Alaric glanced over from the living room, puzzled. "Okay," he said, shifting. "About what?"

Damon was too restless to sit. He paced. "Elena's been worried about Jeremy. I think she'd feel better if someone went to stay with him for a while—you know, till he gets used to

the new city. I thought maybe you would be better—"

"Stop," Alaric said, sitting up straight. He looked more alert. "You're trying to get me out of town. Why?"

Damon was absolutely expressionless. "I only think Jeremy—"

"No," Alaric cut in again. "No, this isn't about Jeremy, is it? What is it, really?"

There was a pregnant pause. Damon stared down at the floorboards.

"Damon," Alaric said. "Is everything okay? I mean I know things with Elena have been… rough… but if there's something you want to talk about…"

"It's not about me, Rick," Damon said in a monotone voice. He met Alaric's dark eyes. "It's about you."

Alaric's eyebrows lifted. "What about me?"

"You said you noticed some black outs, right?"

Alaric nodded, uncertainty clear on his face.

Damon sucked in a huge breath before launching into it. He hadn't wanted to tell Rick about what was going on with the man's subconscious. He really hadn't.

But Alaric was his only friend, and he owed him that much.

* * *

><p>Meredith Fell was uncharacteristically solemn. She went through her usual routine in autopilot, doing and saying all the right things but not fully present. Sometimes she wondered if she should have stayed away from Mystic Falls. It was just a maelstrom of trouble and drama.<p>

Currently, she was pacing down a hallway, a clipboard in hand. Her shift was nearly over, and after working overtime, she needed a shower and rest.

A nurse at the end of the hall beckoned to her at once upon seeing the doctor. Meredith sighed.

"Yes?"

"Doctor Fell," the nurse said in a hushed tone. "Mr. Heart is awake. He asked for you earlier, but I thought you'd left."

Meredith's stomach sank. There wasn't much longer she could keep James here without him getting suspicious. She nodded to the nurse, set the clipboard down at the station, and swung around to head to James's room.

She loved her job. She really did. But she hated lying to people.

Upon entering the room, her senses spiked. A nervous coil wrapped around her stomach and a prickle of fear tingled her spine.

James's hospital bed was empty.

Had he figured out that she was lying to him? Had he left? She grabbed her phone to call Damon. As she did, the door slammed shut behind her.

Meredith jumped, dropping the phone to the ground as it rang. She swiveled back, but it was too late.

James had already struck her over the head.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Hey guys. Many many MANY thanks for the reviews. I wouldn't keep going it if weren't for the amazing feedback I get. (: Short message: I've been away for a terribly long time (away from my computer, my house) so I apologize for how long it's taken to get this up.**

**(I'm thinking Kol and Alex have a good, civilized conversation next, before he gets all mean and scary again. If they have a relationship-which is up to you guys-it'll probably be a love-hate type of thing...)**

**(And for those interested, I'm working on some other things. A Godric fic for True Blood, maybe a Damon fic for TVD. And of course all the other things I ahve in progress. I have ADD I tell you, but since I'm back, I'll be updating everything shortly!)**

**More to come soon! Please review! **


	13. Chapter 13

**Thirteen**

* * *

><p>A vampire's heart resumed beating, even after it stopped once they had died a human death. It was almost perturbing to Elijah—was it mockery, nature's way of reminding him what he had lost in order to gain immortality? He had decided a very long time ago that there were many things about nature that was scorning.<p>

A quick, staccato heartbeat was how he knew Katerina had sensed his presence. This in itself was a mockery. He felt, for one brief fleeting moment, that it was five hundred years ago, back in Katerina's human days. Her heart had once beat as such when she was excited to see him.

Now it was only out of fear.

The brunette vampire whipped her head around. Her eyes widened fractionally, an attempt to hide the reaction all together, though a failed one at that.

"Elijah," she said cautiously.

Elijah allowed himself a moment to study her. This would only work if he could sell the act. He had always managed to be indifferent with her, but some things still needed work. "Katerina," he mimicked her tone, eyes trailing down her body before returning to her face. "It's been some time."

"A great deal of time," she agreed in a wavering voice. She was scared. Elijah found he rather enjoyed that fact. "How did you know I was here?"

Elijah strolled into the room further—Katherine had checked herself into a little bed and breakfast inn just on the outskirts of Mystic Falls. It was quaint. Another thing that reminded him of the Katerina Petrova he once knew.

"I would say you've gotten careless in being discreet," Elijah said, running a finger over a spine of a book. He looked at Katherine pointedly, making her shiver. "But I think we both know better than that."

Katherine was keeping her distance, all the while calculating any means of escape from the presence of the Original. "I don't know what you—"

"Quiet," Elijah bid her silent. She obeyed, snapping her mouth shut. "You were seen at the charity gala, at the Mayor's house. I believe you were posing as Miss Elena, yes?" He didn't bother to let her answer. "Finn saw you and my mother speaking. It seems Mayor Lockwood had joined you as well." He stepped forward, slowly, relishing the way her heart hammered against her chest, his dark eyes never leaving hers. "What is it you're up to?"

"Elijah, I—"

"And I must warn you, Katerina," he said, regarding her indifferently. "I have no patience today."

The threat lacing his tone made Katherine flinch. She tried futilely to zip around him, but Elijah captured her by the neck and pinned her against the wall. She squirmed, quick to speak. "She—she summoned me, Elijah, she came to me first." Her eyes were so wide and she resembled Elena so much that Elijah felt a swell of guilt.

He quickly rid himself of it.

"What for?" he asked.

Katherine shook her head. "She didn't say—she just wanted to make sure she had an ally."

Elijah studied the younger vampire scrupulously. "An ally for what?"

"To kill you," Katherine breathed, relinquishing her words. "All of you."

It was obvious she thought this information would rattle Elijah. He gave an eye roll, despite the pain in his heart.

"I'm quite aware of that. Unless you give me some useful information, I'm afraid I must end this conversation." His grip on her neck tightened. She choked, understanding just how he would 'end' it.

"She wants me to meet her again," Katherine struggled to say. Her eyes were imploring. "I'll—I'll tell you what she wants! I will!"

Elijah smiled. "Yes, you will."

"If," Katherine added, holding her breath. "If you pardon me."

There was a heavy pause. Katherine stared up at Elijah, well aware that her fate lie in his next words. Her whole body was tense against his, resurrecting old sensations that had died with her humanity long ago. Elijah released her immediately and took a step back, a dark look on his face.

"Perhaps," he said vaguely. "I suppose it depends on how useful you continue to be." He headed towards the door again, pausing in the doorway. "I'll be in touch, Katerina. Don't go anywhere. You will deeply regret it if you do."

He didn't stay to see her slide down the wall, hugging her knees to her chest like a little girl. Katherine Pierce was hardly ever shaken, hardly ever afraid. But her old lover brought out the worst in her.

* * *

><p>"Get enough sleep?"<p>

Matt poked his head into Vicki's old bedroom, his eyes searching out the figure smothered by blankets in the bed.

Alex groaned and shifted, burying her face into her pillow.

Opening the door more, Matt stepped into the room and sat upon the bed, his brow furrowed in worry.

"Was that a yes?"

"Mmhmmm," was his only reply.

"Huh," he said. "Doesn't look like it."

Alex kicked him. She pulled herself free of the blankets and sat upright, blinking around the bright room. "What times is it?" she asked in a slur.

"Past noon," Matt answered. He looked her face over before smirking. "You look great."

Alex scowled at him and pushed her hair around in an attempt to smooth it. "Better than you, I'm sure."

The lighthearted mood left as quickly as it came. A breeze blew at the blue curtains over the windows, letting more sunlight into the room.

Matt chewed his lip. "About last night…" he started. "You sure you don't want to talk about it?"

Alex looked down at her hands. "Yeah," she said quietly. "It's just… I just need to think. That's all."

"But…" Matt hesitated. "You were with Kol."

Alex gave no reply.

"Damon told me," Matt explained further. "About the plan you two set up. Well, he set up, I guess."

Alex tucked her hair behind her ears, feeling guilty yet too tired to dwell on that. "Matt… I really don't want to talk about it. Maybe later, okay? Just not now."

Matt nodded. "Okay." He stood, hovering. "I've gotta get to work, I guess. See you later?"

Alex gave him a small smile. "Yeah. See you later."

After Matt left, Alex forced herself to get up and shower. Too much was going on, and she was glad to at least get a good night's sleep for once. With no dreams of Kol, no nightmares, nothing of the sort. Just pure, deep sleep.

That's how she wanted the rest of the day to go—for it to be completely uneventful.

Of course, it wasn't.

She decided to head back to her house for the remainder of the day, intent on reading mindless romance novels and finishing up some late homework. James would be at work and she would have the house all to herself.

Alex simply wasn't expecting to find a certain someone on her front porch steps, waiting for her arrival. In fact, he was the last person she expected to see after the previous night.

She stopped at the sidewalk, her hands immediately going for the stake in her purse, since she had thought to get one from Matt's house before leaving.

Kol simply watched her. He didn't stand, he didn't speak. He just watched her with a completely blank, unreadable stare, his eyes dark as ever.

When neither of them moved, he finally said, a little sardonically, "At the rate things are going, I'm beginning to suspect Matt is more than just a friend. Perhaps your lover of sorts. It is quite common, in this era, for women to keep casual lovers, isn't it?"

Alex decided not to dignify that with an answer. "I want one day," she said in a surprisingly steady voice. Kol raised an eyebrow. "One day," she repeated. "To myself. Without you, without any of your mind tricks. Understood?"

The tiniest of smirks appeared on his face. "Are you bossing me around, now?"

Alex stared at him, dumbstruck. He was being almost… well not friendly, of course, but nonthreatening. It was a trick. She knew it.

She was done with his tricks.

"Leave, Kol," she said. "I'm serious."

The smirk broadened. "I can see that." He didn't stand. "Might you deign me one hour, then? Or would that be too charitable? I understand perfectly well from the other night that you aren't very good about giving."

"Does your innuendo ever stop?" she mostly asked herself. He still hadn't moved, which was quickly becoming frustrating. She couldn't get anywhere near the front door, not without moving past him.

"It's part of my charm." His eyes studied her thoroughly.

Kol was utterly confused. Utterly angry with himself. Utterly lost and miserable.

He wasn't quite sure how he had ended up here, on_ her _porch, of all places; why all his thoughts led to her, led to questions he didn't have answers to. He wasn't quite sure what the hell was wrong with him.

Since the previous night, since recognizing Henrick's presence, he had been thrown. He wasn't himself. There was an odd, ever present feeling urging him to do something, though he didn't know what.

Klaus had kicked him out of the house once he had torn up several rooms within only a select few minutes. Elijah was nowhere to be seen, which he was thankful for, because his eldest brother couldn't seem to help but prod at everyone else's problems. Finn was strangely absent as well, and Rebekah had gone off to meet with the very Matt who's home Alex had come from. And he knew this because he could smell the boy's scent all over her, even from this distance.

Though, for all these things, he didn't know why he cared.

He didn't care, he reminded himself. Not in the slightest.

Alex was staring at him strangely. He realized he must have lost track of the moment, and quickly became impatient. He stood, his body tense.

"I would like a word with you."

"And I'd like to shove a stake through your heart," Alex said, surprising herself, though she was beginning to realize that this was simply who she was becoming. She was stronger now. She wasn't that little girl anymore—not anymore. "Now unless you're willing to indulge that, I really don't have the time."

"Look at you," Kol said, his tone unreadable. "Big and mighty. Who would have thought?"

This was not how she wanted the day to go. "Please just let me by. I'm tired, all right?"

He gestured to the door. "I'm not stopping you."

Alex looked at him warily, then measured the distance to the door. If she was going to be stronger, if she was going to stand up to him, then she had to start acting like it. She had to be brave.

So she sucked in a breath and walked to the porch. Kol watched her the entire time, reminding her of the way a hawk would wait for road-kill. When she neared the steps, however, he spoke again.

"Although," he said. "There is something I'm quite curious about."

She should have just sprinted the rest of the way to the door, shut it behind her and let nature do its work to keep her safe. But she didn't. She stopped and looked at him.

"Do not mistake my curiosity for anything other than what it is," he began. "But I do wonder, little Alex. Why haven't you given up yet?"

Alex stared at him, mouth parted. The question hadn't occurred to her until then, either, but what startled her more was who was asking it. And he seemed genuinely interested, though Alex had seen him act out a tougher emotion like he was pinning for an Emmy award. There was that inevitable pull that had been present the night she first met him—the mystery and uncertainty surrounding Kol that intrigued her. He stared at her now, waiting for an answer, she realized.

"Why do you care?" was the first thing that flew from her mouth.

He didn't look away from her. That was the thing about Kol—no matter what, he would always look you in the eyes. "Curiosity," he stated.

"I don't believe that," she countered faster than she could think. "You always have a reason for things. So what's the reason for asking me that?"

His eyes narrowed impatiently. "Though I find this new side of you endearing, little Alex, do not think I will put up with it for long. I grow tired of things quickly."

He was just so goddamn moody. "My mother," she answered him finally. "I think of my mother."

She left it at that, leaving him there on the porch, as she took the final steps to the front door and slid inside, locking it behind her.

* * *

><p>"At the Salvatore house?" Finn looked mildly confused, glancing between his mother and the Bennett witch. The Mayor stood beside him, appearing more privy to the plan.<p>

"Yes," Mayor Lockwood answered for Ester. "The next town Council meeting is being held there tomorrow night."

"Which presents the perfect opportunity to cast the spell," Ester added.

Finn gave a questioning look.

Ester gestured to Bonnie. "Miss Bennett will cast the containment spell as soon as all the guests have arrived. That is, your brothers and sister. Katerina and I will have implemented everything necessary in order for the spell to work and subjugate only the undead occupants of the house. Mayor Lockwood will ensure its success."

They were in a small clearing in the quarry, away from any signs of civilization. A figure appeared opposite of them, striding confidently towards the group.

"Ah, Katerina," Ester said, looking at the vampire strangely. "You're late. I do hope all is well."

Katherine nodded. "Of course. I just had some final arrangements to make."

"I'm sure I don't need to remind you of your role, then," Ester said vaguely.

"No," Katherine said. "I'm prepared."

"Good." Ester gathered the few herbs and candles she had brought, returning them to their bag. "Then I believe everything is in order." She turned to Finn, a warm, motherly smile on her face. She rested her hand over his. "My son, you are doing the right thing. I am proud of you. I hope you know that."

Finn's throat tightened uncomfortably. "I know, Mother."

* * *

><p>Damon walked restlessly down the bleak white corridor, hardly paying any mind to his surroundings. His thoughts were concentrated on the expression imprinted on Alaric's face; the look of hopelessness and despair.<p>

Damon had told him everything. Everything there was to tell. He was surprised to find how sorry he felt for the history teacher. Feeling sorry for anyone simply wasn't an emotion he thought he was capable of.

Nurses in blue and pink scrubs passed him now and then, each woman making eyes at him. He smirked, wishing Elena was around to see it. She'd be totally jealous. She was cute when she was jealous.

There was no nurse occupying the station in front of James's room. This hardly fazed Damon—people were lazy, he knew. Hell, he was lazy. It didn't seem like anything out of the ordinary. So he slipped past the station and headed straight for the room, to make sure James was either unconscious or Meredith was with him.

It was none of the above, because what he found was alarming.

Meredith was out cold on the floor, her face slack, her color pale. A quick assessment of the small room showed no sign of James.

Damon swore viciously under his breath.

"Wakey, wakey," he said, snapping his finger in front of Meredith's unconscious form. He sighed when she didn't stir. There really wasn't time for this. "Doc, I'm going to give you three seconds before I think up some pretty horrible way to wake you." He began counting in his head.

"Hmm?"

It was groggy, but Meredith was slowly coming to her senses. She shuffled a little on the ground, twisting until her eyes peeked open. A groan emitted from her lips and her hand immediately held her forehead, where there was a red swell.

"Damon?" she looked up at the dark haired vampire, lost and confused.

"Unfortunately for you," he said. "Where's James?"

Meredith blinked. "Huh?"

"James," he stressed the name, bending down to be level with her face. "Where'd he go?"

Meredith looked around the room. "I thought—but he's—"

"Looks like he clocked you on the head," Damon said. He was quickly losing his patience. "Any idea when this was?"

"My last shift ended at six a.m." Meredith tried to get to her feet, but stumbled. Damon carefully helped her to the hospital bed.

He was frowning. "Fantastic."

"What time is it now?" she asked.

"It's almost six," he said. "At night."

Meredith's eyes widened. Then, as if suddenly recalling something, she froze. Her hands swiped through her lab jacket, searching out something that wouldn't appear.

"What?" Damon probed, sensing the urgency. "What's wrong?"

"The—the vial," she stuttered. "It's gone."

"Vial? Vial of what?"

"Vampire blood," Meredith breathed in a whisper. "You don't think…"

Damon felt like smashing something. He gave Meredith a level look that said all she needed to know.

James was unstable as it was.

What would he do with some vampire blood?

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** **This was supposed to be posted last night, but alas, it was not. I hope you enjoy the faster update, my wonderful people, and I will work to keep up with it. I've put some teeny little things about Wuthering Heights in here. Does anybody recognize what I'm getting at with that? Hint: think Heathcliff and Catherine! (: (But don't think depressing things…)**

…**Please review! (:**


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Vampire Diaries.**

* * *

><p><strong>Fourteen<strong>

"Hope I'm not waking you," Damon said in a tone that sounded entirely uncaring, peering over Alex's shoulder and into the dark house. She had turned the front porch light on the moment she heard knocking, and now it lit the strands of Damon's black hair in a yellowish light, ironically similar to a halo. His face was grim and taut.

"Do I even want to know?" Alex asked, monotone and hesitant.

Damon smirked, though it held none of his usual impishness. "Doubtful. Invite me in." It was a command, not a question.

Alex gave him a level look. "Why should I?"

Damon huffed petulantly. "Because," he said, standing aside to reveal Meredith Fell behind him. "This is about James."

At the mention of her brother's name, she wasted no time inviting the pair inside. Damon glanced around the house curiously. To make a point of the fact that he now had access to it whenever he wanted, Alex decided with an eye roll.

A lamp was on in the living room, a book sitting beside it. Alex hurriedly put it away, hiding the evidence that she had not, in fact, been sleeping. Too much was nagging at her conscience—Kol showing up earlier, his words, the strange look on his face. He had been seeking something, she figured out. What it was he wanted, she wasn't entirely sure. But he wanted _something_. And she had unknowingly passed up the opportunity to find out what that was. Because if Kol needed something from her that he didn't feel he could simply take, that meant she had leverage.

Right?

All worries and thoughts had to be shoved aside, because Damon and Meredith were looking at her with expressions that made her stomach feel queasy.

"What's wrong?" Alex asked. "Did something go wrong at the hospital?"

Meredith's eyebrows tugged together in guilt. She glanced at Damon, pressing her lips together. "It was my fault," she said quietly, turning her sad gaze on Alex. "He figured it out. I don't know how, but he did. He's gone."

Alex's mouth went dry as bone. "Gone?"

"Vamoosed," Damon said. "Vanished. Missing. That sort of gone."

Feeling utterly like dead weight, Alex fell back to the couch, shaking her head in consternation. When suddenly one thing went right, a slew of others went terribly wrong.

"If that was all," she said quietly, "you wouldn't have told me in person." She looked up at Damon imploringly. "What else happened?"

He had to give her credit—she wasn't as stupid as he initially thought.

"He's got a vial of vampire blood on him," Damon said as emptily as possible. "Any idea what he'd want with that?"

Alex's face drained of color, but she otherwise controlled her reaction. She tried to think hard. "You said he wants to overthrow the Council." Alex spared a glance at Meredith, but otherwise had deduced the older woman knew about this. "How could vampire blood help him with that exactly?"

"It doesn't make sense," Meredith said. "He hates vampires—he wouldn't want anything to do with them if he wants to oust them from the town."

"Unless," Damon said pensively. "He plans to use it against someone. Like leverage."

Alex had heard nothing that transpired since she last spoke. A dawning, horrifying realization was settling upon her, and her mouth parted in dread.

Damon stared raptly at her. "What is it?"

"You're too strong," she said in a hollow voice. "Too fast. How is he supposed to go against that? How is he supposed to fight you when he's just human?"

Meredith and Damon exchanged puzzled looks.

"Not following," Damon said.

"He wants to be turned," Alex said, her voice rising. "Into a vampire. That's the only way he can fight back. It's the only way."

Alex buried her face in her hands.

* * *

><p>Alaric didn't make a habit of eavesdropping. He really didn't. But he found he couldn't stop himself when he stepped into the Gilbert house—his home too, if he allowed himself to call it that—and heard the voices of Elena and Stefan arguing. He stopped immediately, aware that if Stefan cared to recognize his presence, he could in an instant. It seemed he was too caught up in his conversation, however, and Alaric was too worried about his surrogate daughter to care if he was breaking some parenting rules or not.<p>

"We don't know what she's up to," Stefan was obviously trying to talk Elena out of something. "She could show up tonight."

"If she does, then she wouldn't anticipate me being there, too," said Elena. "Katherine's smart, but even she hates it when her plans get screwed up."

Stefan sighed heavily. "This isn't a good idea."

"It's the best idea we have."

There was a pause.

"I just want you to be careful, all right? Damon texted me an hour ago. Alex's brother disappeared from the hospital—something's up with him, and Damon seemed pretty worried about it." Stefan sounded resigned.

"It'll be fine, Stefan," Elena said softly. "It always is, in the end."

"There's just too much that could go wrong tonight," was all Stefan said.

The shift within Alaric was subtle. Even he hadn't noticed it consciously until he was already too far gone to do anything about it. Darkness swelled in his chest and spread throughout his body, reaching to his fingertips, his toes. Alaric Saltzman, history teacher and substitute father, no longer stood within the Gilbert house listening raptly to the two upstairs. Instead, Alaric Saltzman, determined vampire hunter, was connecting all the dots in his head and planning his next move.

* * *

><p>Alex stared blankly down at the grave in front of her, a swell of fear building in her heart. In her hand, she held her mother's pearl ring. The metal band was cold in the frosty air.<p>

Maybe she was never meant to have a peaceful, quiet life. Maybe she had been doomed from the very start. She never believed in fate before, but she did believe that some people were destined for certain things. Kol and now James… What was she to do? What _could_ she do?

As the despair settled in, she knew nowhere else to go but her mother's grave. Now she kneeled down in front of it, as she had for hours, wishing desperately for some sign that her mother could even sense her presence. Everything was quickly becoming futile: her attempt to go on living a normal life as if her mother hadn't been murdered and her father hadn't abandoned her; trying to keep the remains of her family together as everything else wanted to pull it apart; and perhaps most importantly, trying to fight Kol, fight what he could turn her into: a spineless little damsel in distress. But she refused it. Not after everything else that was already happening.

The wind picked up, sending leaves skittering over the tops of tombstones and the narrow, winding lanes that threaded through the cemetery like snakes. Alex lifted her head, allowing the breeze to caress her cheeks and perhaps cleanse her of this awful, dreadful feeling.

It didn't work.

A sudden fear of losing her remaining strength gripped her. She stood quickly to dispel the thoughts and backed away from her mother's grave, worried that the old crippling memories would do her more harm than good. Her feet began to move of their own accord, taken by a wanderlust deprived from weeks of being trapped and scared.

She soon found herself treading through the forest. There was a path beneath her, but it was hidden by overgrown roots reaching to one another, patches of tall grass, and the detritus of leaves and mulch. Goosebumps pebbled her arms; it felt as if something had taken her by the hand and led her this way.

She had returned to Henrick's gravesite. She knew this because the strange heart-shaped flower lay near the base of a tree, wilted and dead. A strange sense of loss descended on her; she gently picked up the flower and cupped it in her palm.

A moment later, she shredded it; piece by piece it swayed back to the ground, joining the other litter of the forest. She threw the remaining bits down with a rough flick of her wrists, glaring at the soft petals. This wasn't fair. None of this was fair—she was losing James, the only family she had left. What would she do without him? How would she go on? There would be Matt, of course, but there's something about losing one's entire family that was so _obliterating_.

"What did it do to you?" A surprised Kol questioned.

Alex bit her lip and turned around. She hadn't been aware she wasn't alone, but was hardly surprised to find out otherwise. She spared the smug vampire a brief glance before considering his words.

"What?"

"The flower," Kol clarified, clearly amused. He stood across from her, nearly ten feet away. "What did it do to earn such a tragic end?"

Alex held his gaze. She could feel her insides crack. "I could ask you the same."

"About you, you mean?" Kol leaned against the trunk of a birch tree, smoothly tucking his hands into the pockets of his jacket. "You're wondering why on earth someone would want to hurt a creature such as yourself." It was a statement, not a question.

"No," Alex said, surprising him. "I'm wondering what you did to become what you are. What happened to Henrick?"

A deafening silence rang in the air.

Kol stared at Alex, daring her to speak another word. His jaw was so tight that the muscles strained and rippled. It was daylight, but his eyes looked black as night with no moon; lethal and remorseless.

Except she could see something there, behind them. Something hidden and restrained but fighting to reach the surface. It was gone in a flash.

"I respected your wishes yesterday and let you be," Kol said carefully. "You must know me well enough by now to know my patience wears thin easily."

"But why?" Alex asked. "What made you this way? You couldn't have always been like this. People aren't born evil."

"What would you know about people, little Alex?" Kol straightened and stepped forward, a glint in his eyes. His mouth was screwed into a frown. "Look at the life you lead—sheltered and privileged. What would you know about the need to survive?"

Alex crossed her arms. "Are you serious? I think I know better than most people. _You're_ the reason I need to survive. You're the one threatening me."

Kol paused a few feet away from her, arching a dark eyebrow. "So I've taught you something, then. How fortunate for you." Alex opened her mouth to argue, but Kol stopped her. "Who were you before you met me, Alex? I think you and I both know you're better off now, because of all that's transpired. Someday you may even thank me."

Alex scoffed. "You're out of your mind."

"Am I?" Kol sidestepped her. His hand brushed her wrist as he did, making her shiver. "I've taught you to stand up for yourself. I've given you a backbone. Many humans don't realize it isn't _natural_ to be brave of heart, to be born fearless and determined. It's experience. It's what you learn from others. So I have taught you something, darling. You're welcome."

Alex's teeth gritted together as she stood. The thought came, unbidden, that maybe he was right. She hadn't been this girl before he came into her life. No, she had been weak and scared of shadows. She'd been everything she always despised being. Could he really be right? Yes. She adapted to his maliciousness, his threats and danger. She had become stronger because of it.

But damn him for pointing it out.

Alex turned to face him. "You're only defending my question. Something made you this way, Kol. Something made you hateful and wicked. It was Henrick, wasn't it?" Kol had once more closed off his expression and stepped away from Alex. His hands were clenched into bloodless fists, his eyes narrowed. Alex didn't stop. "Was it the pain of losing him? Or did you do something?" She paused, holding her breath. "Did you kill him, Kol?"

Kol snarled and lunged at her. Alex feared, for a moment, that he would simply tear her throat out then and there. But she should've known better—after all this time, he hadn't. he still wouldn't, would he? Instead, he shoved her backward until her spine roughly met the bark of a tree. He pinned her against it by her wrists.

"Do not," he said in a low, deadly voice, "make wild accusations, dear. You are messing with forces beyond you."

Alex didn't once stray from his stare. "I visit my mother's grave when I'm feeling helpless. Is that what you're doing here? Do you feel helpless, Kol?"

Kol dug his fingernails into her coat sleeves, reaching her skin beneath. She didn't have to look to know he was drawing blood; hot rivulets trailed down her arms, pooled at her elbows. Kol hissed.

"You're right," Alex continued, her words coming out erratic and breathy. "You did make me stronger. But you're the one who keeps coming back to me. What have I done for you, Kol? Why are you still playing this game with me?"

Everything that had occurred between them unto this point built and climaxed. Alex could _taste_ it in the air, feel it on her arms. It was almost as if a supernatural force was gathering between them, pushing and pulling, biting and clawing. She stared, unblinking, into Kol's fathomless eyes. She watched the emotions shift and alter; the hate, the burning hunger, the fear, the admiration, and finally, the pain. He was in raw pain; she could _see_ it. Everything he had taken care to hide was unraveling before her.

His grip was loosening.

A swell of pity gathered in Alex's heart. How long had he suffered with this? Did his siblings even know?

"It's okay, Kol," Alex said quietly, his eyes soft and sad. She expected him to retaliate; maybe hit her or bite her, maybe even kill her, but he didn't. "It's okay."

For the first time since knowing him, Alex felt like she was reaching a deeper part of Kol. A part he probably didn't even know existed. She understood his weaknesses, his pains, his fears. Kol was not impervious.

He taught her how to survive. So would she play his game and manipulate these weaknesses, or would she sacrifice more of her heart?

* * *

><p>Elijah stood facing the bay window. Mid-afternoon light spilled onto his face; if he had been human, the sunlight would have revealed hours of sleeplessness as chalky half-moons beneath his eyes. Instead, his skin was clear and bright, as it had been for a thousand years.<p>

"Come in," Elijah said to the presence at the door. "Shut the door behind you."

Katherine walked in hesitantly, glancing around to see if they were alone, before doing as he asked. It was almost offensive to be invited into her own room at the bed and breakfast inn, but she made no vocal complaint.

"I said I would call you when I had more information," said Katherine.

Elijah turned to face her. "So why didn't you call?"

Katherine swallowed hard. Playing games was second nature to her; it wouldn't be wise to try it with Elijah, however. She bowed her head. "I'm sorry. I got caught up."

"Don't make that mistake again," Elijah said. He stepped towards her. "What can you tell me?"

"The Salvatore party is today," Katherine said. "Your mother is planning to cast a spell during it, but she didn't specify what."

"So why does she need you?"

"I'm supposed to place stones at certain intervals around the boarding house." Katherine drew a polished white rock from her purse, holding it up for the elder vampire to see. There was a deeply inscribed symbol on the flat part of it. Elijah didn't recognize it. "And then I'm supposed to find out where the Salvatores are keeping Elena for the night, since they won't allow her to go."

Elijah's attention perked up at the mention of the doppelganger. "Why is my mother concerned with Miss Gilbert?"

"She didn't say. Just that I'm supposed to locate her and take her to the quarry." Katherine struggled to look defiant. "That's all I know."

Elijah considered this. "Then I expect you to do your job well. But," he added with a sharp smile. "Do not take Elena to my mother. Instead, bring her to me."

Katherine's eyes widened. "What?"

"Bring me the doppelganger."

"Why?" Katherine asked. She grew nervous. "Esther will know something's wrong."

"Let me deal with Esther," Elijah said. "You must worry about yourself, Katerina. Do as I ask and I will pardon you. That is what you want, isn't it?"

Katherine pressed her lips together.

It was going to be one hell of a night.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I am terribly sorry for the long wait. My life is the essence of crazy right now, so please bear with me. I hope you guys are still sticking with me and enjoying this.**

**DreamsForTheDead: I haven't had a chance to get back to your last message, but I will ASAP! (:**

**As always… please tell me what you think. (:**


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Vampire Diaries. **

* * *

><p><strong>Fifteen<strong>

Kol's grip had slackened so that instead of pinning Alex to the tree, he was just holding her there. His breath caressed her cheek, warm and welcoming compared to the chilliness of the day. He seemed entirely out of sorts; entirely different from the terrorizing Kol she had come to know.

They stood that way in silence for some time; Alex cooing to him softly, Kol staring off at the ground behind her, unable to meet her sad eyes. It was such a deciding moment: Alex's mind was fraught with doubt. What should she do? Exploit his weakness? Do as he did to her?

That wouldn't make her any better than him. It would turn her into someone she didn't want to be—someone she could never have fathomed just a month ago.

But dare she sacrifice another part of her very fragile heart just to console Kol, of all people? A little voice in the back of her head said _he needs it_. _No one has ever seen this side of him. He needs it just like you needed it. _

Alex choked on air, remembering that very life-altering night when she watched her father leave her and James behind with hardly a second thought. And then before that, when she'd come home to find the walls painted with her mother's blood. She'd had James all that time. She'd had Matt. The fact was that she hadn't been alone to deal with her suffocating emotions—they hadn't let her be alone. She needed them there for her.

Kol had no one.

That did her in.

Her bottom lip wobbled out of pure sympathy. She bit down on it and tentatively, carefully, touched Kol's face.

He still wouldn't look at her. Alex knew it was only a matter of time before he came to his senses and disappeared, like he always seemed to do when things between them got emotional.

"Kol," she said gently. She brushed her thumb over his chin, urging him to look at her. He didn't. "Kol, I'm sorry for what I said."

His dark eyes darted to her face then. He searched her expression, his own guarded and closed off. Finally, his voice husky, he said, "_You're_ sorry?"

Alex blinked, uncertain if she had grated his nerves. "Yes," she said honestly. "I'm so sorry about saying you hurt Henrick. I just—it was a nasty thing to say."

Kol stared at her blankly a moment longer. "You're _sorry_," he said slowly, as if making sure he'd heard her right. "You're sorry for speaking harshly to me? Dear little Alex—you're mad. You're absolutely mad. What have I been doing to you this whole time?"

She realized that he wasn't angry with her. Quite the opposite, in fact. He seemed outraged with _himself_. Alex had to study him to ensure she wasn't just imagining it.

"I have tormented you mentally and physically," Kol went on. "I have crossed lines with you that should never be crossed—that shouldn't even _exist_. I have been utterly filthy to you, Alexandra Heart, and you're apologizing to _me_?" He stepped impossibly closer to her and cupped her face in his hands. "Have I taken away your sanity? Have I damaged you beyond repair? In what world should you be sorry for _me_, little Alex?"

Alex was speechless. She struggled to come up with words to keep him from darting away and leaving. "I—it's the right thing to do," she said at last. "It's the right thing, and I mean it."

His face completely crumbled then. For the first time, she saw sadness in his eyes. Not sadness for himself, but for her. Sympathy. Genuine sympathy. His hands fell from her face to her sides. "I know you do. That's why I can't quite figure you out."

"What do you mean?" Alex asked hesitantly. "What can't you figure out."

He lifted one hand and caught a stray strand of her hair, studying it between his fingertips. "You have an unshakeable goodness within you. It doesn't crumble. It doesn't give under pressure. I have never seen such a thing, Alex, and I am a thousand years old."

Alex bit her lip. "Well maybe you've never looked for it."

He gave a light shrug. "I've never needed to."

"So why are you now?"

He laughed a little bitterly and stepped back from Alex, as if just realizing how close they were. "Believe me, I didn't want to. I tried every possible way to prove to myself that you couldn't be all good. That there's a heart of darkness in you somewhere. But there isn't, is there? Don't think I don't know what an opportunity Henrick was for you." He didn't sound angry, just rational. "You could have used him against me and it would have worked. You could have gotten your revenge for all I've done to you. But you didn't."

Alex struggled for air. It all made sense now. Why he had targeted her. Well, it made sense in some twisted, psychotic way. But she finally had an answer to the _Why me?_ question. "You wanted to prove that I was bad. That I'm capable of bad things. That's what you wanted from me? That's what started this?"

"Not at first. At first I was simply after the entertainment. But then I saw what you were like…" He shook his head and looked away from her.

Alex's chest was tight, like her body was too small for all the emotions surging through it. Her hands were balled into fists, but not because she was angry or sad, because she wasn't sure _how_ to feel. She struggled to breathe properly as she stared up at Kol. This was it. This was the moment she had craved for so long. She could be angry with him. She could yell at him. It didn't seem like he would retaliate much. She could tell him what she truly thought of him, how low of a creature he had been to her.

But she decided to do something much better.

"I forgive you," she said gently. Her words touched the air as a whisper. Kol's eyes returned to her, questioning and big. Utterly boyish. Alex managed a shaky smile. "I forgive you, Kol."

* * *

><p>Damon's signature smirk greeted the Mayor. "Come in, Carol," he drawled, pulling the door wide open for her. "We're nearly ready."<p>

Mayor Lockwood gave Damon a tight smile. "It was very kind of you to donate to the town. I didn't realize it was the anniversary of the Salvatore Logging Company until you told the council."

"The pleasure is all Stefan's," said Damon. "Who, by the way, is looking for you."

Mayor Lockwood arched a perfect eyebrow. "Oh?"

"Yes," Stefan said, appearing from the hallway. "If you wouldn't mind." There was a strained expression on his face as he gave Damon a _we-need-to-talk_ look before gesturing that the mayor should follow him. They disappeared into the dining room.

"What was that about?" Elena asked, meandering up the porch to Damon. A scarf was wrapped around her neck, accentuating her pale skin. There were dark circles under her eyes as if she hadn't slept for days.

Damon shrugged. "Wine tasting." He glanced at the doppelganger. "You're not supposed to be here."

"I wanted to see how things were coming along."

"Things are swell," Damon said, taking Elena by the shoulders and guiding her right back out the front door. "Now run along. Go see Barbie."

"That's what I wanted to talk to you about," Elena said quietly, shifting under Damon's lasering gaze. "You want Klaus to be here and you want him to _stay_ here. Which means you need Caroline."

"We need Caroline with you," Damon said, tight-lipped. He gave Elena an unusually frosty smile, momentarily pulling aside the veil that was masking his anxiety. "Considering that Bonnie's nowhere to be found."

Elena bit her lip. "She still hasn't called?"

"Nope." Damon urged Elena outside again. "But not to worry—I'm on it."

Elena opened her mouth to protest.

"Listen," Damon cut her off. "You need to go. Now."

There was hesitation in Elena's stance. Her eyebrows knitted together. "What aren't you telling me?"

A muscle jumped in Damon's jaw. He looked up, suddenly, his eyes focusing on an approaching presence.

"Good," he said. "You're here. Take her."

It was Caroline. She looked as grave-faced as Elena had ever seen her. Without a word, she nodded at Damon and gently took Elena by the wrist. They were gone within five minutes and Elena felt very, very sick.

* * *

><p>Alex lay sprawled out on her bed, her hair in a fan around her. She stared numbingly up at the ceiling as she replayed the last hour over and over again in her mind.<p>

Kol. A strange, dizzying variety of emotions emerged with the name. Fear. Lust. Fondness. Revulsion. Hate. Sadness. Pity. And finally, warmth. Warmth? For Kol?

Dear gods who may be listening, what has she gotten herself into?

After she sincerely forgave Kol for everything he had done to her, he mumbled some excuse and left abruptly, looking quite unnerved and out of place. He was quick to put his mask back on, however, and left her in silence.

Alex had managed to return home just fine. As much as she wanted to forget the last hour, it was probably the most important conversation she and Kol had had since they met.

She forgave him. And she meant it.

Her cell phone rang, just then, and she flinched at the grating sound. Her hand felt around her comforter before locating the cool object and pressing it to her ear.

"Sunshine?" It was Damon's infuriating voice on the other end. "How about that. You answered on the first try."

"Do you know anything about James?" she asked, suddenly fervent about her brother's whereabouts.

"I'm working on it," Damon said a little dismissively. "You need to come to the boarding house."

Alex's forehead wrinkled. "For your stupid donation thing?"

"Yes." Damon was quickly growing impatient.

"Why?"

"Because James'll probably show up," Damon said as if it were obvious. "And we don't exactly paint each other's nails."

"You really think he'd show?" Alex was sitting upright now, biting her lip.

"You really think he wouldn't?" was Damon's dry reply.

Alex hung up and stood. She looked around for something decent to wear. It seemed she would be attending a party.

* * *

><p>It was not hard for a vampire to be still. In fact, it was in their nature to be entirely statuesque. Movement was unnecessary; their muscles wouldn't cramp or strain, they rarely grew tired, and in truth, they had no reason to be restless.<p>

But Kol was always restless. Always. He was fond of movement and progress; to be still was not something he liked to indulge in.

So to find him still, utterly, completely still, was a bit unnerving for his siblings.

They walked as if on thin ice around him, like the smallest of shifts in stance would throw him off balance. Elijah and Finn were buttoning their dress shirts, Rebekah was already in a casual dress, and Klaus was nowhere to be found. The majority of the family was preparing for the Council meeting that would be held at the Salvatore home.

Finn looked at Kol sidelong, who sat in a high-backed chair facing the window. Ignoring a protesting stare from Elijah, Finn tried to break the eerie silence.

"Brother," Finn said in his musical accent. "Are you not joining us?"

Kol finally showed signs of life. He cocked his head to the side, his eyes peeling away from the far window, and let his gaze fall on his older brothers with his typical criticalness. "And go to some petty party? The last handful has been quite boring. Why should we waste our time?"

"It's best if we stick to the schedule," Finn suggested. "So mother suspects nothing."

"Mother can suspect all she likes. I have no care for it." Kol stood, a little abruptly. "Why should we stay, anyway? We could leave and she'd never be able to find us. We're playing right into her hand."

Finn bristled a little, though remained cool and collected. His mouth formed a thin line. "And shall we run from mother for all eternity? You're not one to be bound by things, Kol. I should think you'd appreciate bringing this to an end."

"And I should think you'd practice a little more caution after spending nine centuries in a box."

Elijah stepped between the two as if that would quell their arguing. He looked to Kol, however, as the instigator. "You seem more agitated than usual. Is everything all right?"

Kol laughed bitterly. "What a question."

Before Kol could walk off, Elijah placed a hand on his shoulder. There was that ever present glint of knowing in Elijah's eyes; it used to pit fear in Kol's stomach centuries ago. Now it was just a bother.

"Kol," Elijah said carefully. "You saw Miss Heart today, yes?"

Kol's chest felt very constricted at this. He gave his brother his most venomous look. "You've been following me."

"I've been worried."

"I am a thousand years old, Elijah," Kol said with agitation. "Do not mistake my appearance for any sort of youth that needs watching over."

"A thousand years or not, you're still my baby brother."

Kol made a face. "I have not been your baby brother in a very long time." Before anyone could stop him, Kol sped away, up into his bedroom for some privacy. He slammed the door shut behind him; it was much more a sign of intolerance than anything else, considering closed doors meant next to nothing in a vampiric family.

He walked straight to his window to keep himself from pacing. Alex. That was all he could think about. _I forgive you_. Bloody hell, she was something. Something aggravating and wonderful and intoxicating and fucking maddening. What was he to do now? What was he to think?

He paused, very suddenly, as he picked up on the conversation Elijah and Finn were having downstairs.

"He seems to have grown attached," Finn said quietly.

"Yes," Elijah agreed. "Though I'm not sure if it's for the best."

"It is." Finn sounded very certain. Even approving.

Kol heard the ruffle of fabric, like Elijah was shrugging. "I'm almost certain she'll be there tonight. The last thing we need is Kol getting distracted. Perhaps it's good he doesn't come."

Alex will be at the Salvatore manor. In the direct path of the war between his siblings and his mother.

Bloody hell.

He put on a fresh change of clothes and scowled the whole way there.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Look, this update didn't take as long! (-: All right, I'm pretty sure things will be more regular with this again. I am determined to finish this, and considering if I can make a very good dynamic between Alex and Kol, I may do a sequel. I have this deep love for the Kol we're starting to see. As I always will tell you, he will not, by any means, be a soft and mushy lover. He won't lose his flair. At all. If anything, he'll be extremely possessive over Alex. As you may see in the next chapter(:**

**Also… how did we like their conversation? Where this is heading? Please please give me some feedback so I can still make you guys happy. And OMG DreamsfortheDead I am going to write your message up ASAP. Ugh you'll see why it took so long. So sorry! Love you all. Happy TVD. **


	16. Chapter 16

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Vampire Diaries.**

* * *

><p><strong>SIXTEEN<strong>

Kol was not one to be anxious. He reminded himself this as he stood in the corner of the main parlor of the Salvatore boarding house and watched clusters of men and women pass by him. Guests of the female persuasion would cast him flirty looks, but he saw none of this; he was only searching the crowd for one face.

He was beginning to hope that Alex had the good sense not to come.

_Hope_. He internally scoffed at himself. Since when did he hope for anything?

Since he had met Alex Heart, of course.

Bloody hell, he was losing his mind.

Nevertheless, his eyes fervently scanned every face for those wide green eyes, those small, plump lips, that worn and sad smile. Where are you, Alex?

His brothers had been surprised to find him tagging along. Though he had joined them in silence, he had joined them nonetheless. Finn immediately saw right through the action: it was beginning to be painfully obvious how very attached to Alex Kol was becoming. But the elder brother had said nothing; though he did make a wary remark reminding Kol just how little time they had before Mother would make her move. They didn't even know what move she was planning to make.

Kol ground his teeth together. It was going to be an unpleasant night.

* * *

><p>Alex had hardly chosen her outfit in fear of what the dress code would be. In truth, the majority of her wardrobe was comprised of dresses and skirts. Until she met Kol, she had never really seen a problem with it; but of course the Original had taught her how very easily he could get his hands on her bare skin. Alex, however, hardly anticipated running into Kol after what occurred between them earlier. So she was daring: she wore a dress.<p>

The Salvatore boarding house was teeming with people. The long, winding drive was strung with cars of all assortments. Alex had decidedly taken James's car, considering she didn't expect him to return home in search of it; it would allow her to drive him home, too, once she convinced him that what he planned to do was a bad idea.

As was typical with Lockwood mansion parties, people streamed to and from the boarding house. Alex joined behind a couple heading in after she parked the car. She wrung her hands together anxiously, glancing every which way, hopeful to spot her brother's familiar form somewhere in the vicinity.

It was loud when she stepped inside. She wasn't entirely sure what to do first: look for Damon or for James?

Damon would be able to stop James from doing anything more than she could, in regards to strength and speed. But James would need his sister; he would need to see her and speak to her, to understand that he wasn't alone and he didn't need to do this to himself. Alex's throat tightened. When had things gotten so bad for James?

She wandered the halls and rooms, weaving through crowds and dodging waitresses carrying wineglasses. A surge of panic shot through her chest; what if she didn't find him in time?

A hand caught her arm, pulling her gently back. Alex spun around quickly, her heart in her throat, to find Kol staring anxiously at her.

She stopped breathing.

"You need to come with me," he said very quickly, in a low voice.

As he began to pull her away, Alex stood her ground. She swallowed hard. "No—I have to find my brother."

"Alex." Kol said her name very tightly, giving her a look between pleading and aggravation.

Her heart fluttered like a hummingbird.

"What's wrong?" she asked fervently. "What is it?"

He looked at her very significantly; it was a magnetizing look, a heart-stopping look, and Alex held her breath.

"Will you trust me?"

Something was so obviously wrong with Kol. He was _unnerved_. But James—she needed to find James.

It was hard for her to speak; her voice came out in breathy puffs. "But—my brother."

Kol looked a mix between annoyance and strain. "I'll help you find him. But you must come with me first."

She bit her lip. "A—all right."

Kol didn't waste another moment. He took her hand in his and pulled her through the mobs of people. She followed him steadfastly and tried to ignore the warmth of his touch as she continued to glance around in hopes of spotting James.

The chill of the night embraced her once again as Kol pulled her outside. Goose bumps crept all along her arms and legs; she had counted heavily on being inside for the majority of the night and hadn't bothered with a jacket. Kol didn't stop or even glance back at her; he was determined to get somewhere. Where that was, she didn't know.

Alex, flooded with panic, finally pulled her hand out of his and stopped. Kol turned around quickly, his eyes impatient. Though he had been anxious inside, he was still his edgy and intolerant self.

"Alex," he nearly hissed. "We haven't the time."

"What does that mean?" she demanded. "What's going to happen?"

Kol looked around them uneasily, as if something might emerge from the dark forest bordering the Salvatore property. He sighed heavily and stepped towards Alex again, making a move to grab her hand. When she withdrew from him, he grew irritated.

"Don't be foolish," he spat. "Come."

"Don't be an ass," she retorted. "Tell me what's going on."

With a taut, rigid gesture towards the house, Kol said, "This will quickly turn into a warzone. I thought you'd appreciate being away from it when it occurs."

Alex felt a little queasy. "What do you mean 'warzone'?" She grew a little frantic and edged closer to him. "What's going to happen?"

Kol gave a heavy sigh. "Leave now," he suggested, or more threatened in that impatient way of his, "and perhaps I can tell you about it later."

"No," she said simply. "Not when James could be here. You don't understand—"

"_You_ don't understand, dear Alex." Kol paused a moment, reigning in his temper. He tried very hard to continue with patience. "You do not want to get in the way of my mother. After what happened at the last party we attended, I would say she'd be less than thrilled to encounter you tonight. And I have the strange feeling that she would be more than happy to accept collateral damage if that means killing my siblings and me."

"Killing—? Kol, then you can't stay either! You can't let her do that!" Alex wasn't entirely sure what had gripped her at the mention of Kol being killed; she was only certain that she didn't want it to happen. "Let's just find my brother and leave, okay?"

Kol stared at her a moment. He knew, somewhere in the back of his mind, that he didn't have such a moment to spare. He was wasting time. But what she just said—_let's just find my brother and leave, okay?_—it was so… so… accepting. It was accepting him. The realization hit him like a train—Alex had meant what she said earlier. She had truly forgiven him.

What an aggravating, endearing creature.

"You'll get hurt," he warned.

Alex met his eyes; dogged determination emanated from them. "I'll be more hurt if something happens to James."

Kol gritted his teeth together and considered his options. He didn't have enough time to grab Alex and take her home. And he couldn't very well let her roam about the party and get herself into trouble.

So he used his preternatural speed to zoom forward, grab her by the arms, and sped back to the boarding house. He moved with practice, zipping straight past people with ease, without a care as to whether or not they'd notice him. He went to the second floor and shoved her inside a bedroom, holding her steady when he stopped and she had to catch her balance again.

She was cursing so strongly at him that he thought it was kind of cute.

"You bastard!" she screamed, pounding her arms against his chest. "What the fuck is wrong with you? Let me go!"

Kol closed the door firmly behind him. He walked right back to Alex; his back was stiff, his eyes were a little crazed. Alex thought he had lost his mind. When he ripped her vervain bracelet off and grabbed her face in his hands, she couldn't help but look him in the eyes—she wanted to see what he was thinking, to know what the hell was happening.

He compelled her. "You will not leave this room. Do you understand?"

"I understand," spilled from her mouth without her control. When the compulsion stopped, she yanked herself away from him and glared. "What the fuck, Kol? What's wrong with you?"

"It's the only way," was all he said. He frowned a little, but it was gone as quickly as it appeared.  
>"No it's not. It's <em>not<em>. My brother will die, Kol—do you get that? He wants to turn himself into a vampire. I can't—"her throat was tight and her words caught—"I _can't_ let that happen."

Kol was more than a little stiff. "Because vampires are so horrible."

"No—because James will not survive as one!" Alex stepped to Kol, pleading with her eyes. "Kol please. Please don't do this to me."

The faintest, briefest hint of regret surfaced on his handsome face as he looked away. "I'll do my best to find him. But you must stay here."

And then he was gone, leaving nothing but Alex's anger to fill his absence.

* * *

><p>Elena hugged a bowl of popcorn to her chest, vacantly scooping handfuls into her mouth as she stared at the screen. It'd been a long while since she'd had any time to herself; and although she was growing increasingly anxious over what she knew would occur tonight, she was trying her best to immerse herself in something <em>normal<em>.

Well, maybe she shouldn't have watched _Dracula._

Her stomach felt squirmy, like she had swallowed a bag of snakes. Her nerves were shot and grated; every shift in the air caused her to glance around uneasily. She had to constantly suppress the rising nausea and force her attention on the TV screen.

There was a soft knock at the front door.

Elena's blood ran cold. Everyone was supposed to be at the boarding house.

_It's probably just Damon checking up on me,_ she assured herself as she stood. _There's no reason to panic._ But she grabbed her cell phone and a kitchen knife anyway. She knew that, more than not, there was _always_ a reason to panic.

Her small fingers wrapped around the cold door handle; the chilliness of the night had seeped right into the metal. She squeezed and pulled.

A mirror of her face stared back at her, causing her mouth to fall open.

Elena's eyebrows pulled together. "Katherine?"

* * *

><p>"Caroline."<p>

Klaus's sweet, melodic accent gave a lilt to her name that no other could match. Caroline hated herself for noticing. Squaring her shoulders, she set a decidedly venomous look on her face and turned to face the Original.

Damn him and that slow, sexy smile.

"I didn't expect to see you here," he said in that low drawl.

Caroline rolled her eyes. "Because it's not like I attend every other party."

Klaus frowned. Although the fair-haired woman was an easy distraction for him, he had to remember himself. "Perhaps you _shouldn't_ be here," he tried to make his warning obvious. "I hear there'll be quite the quarrel soon."

He could tell that she was trying very hard to keep her expression neutral, but her anxiety and uncertainty fought to surface. Klaus's frown deepened into genuine concern. "You're afraid." It was a statement and a question.

Caroline backed up. "I've got things to do, Klaus." Her voice held none of her blatant doubt. "I don't have time for this."

Before he could call her back, Elijah approached him. Elijah, forever paler than the rest of his siblings, seemed to show his true age. His mouth was set in a frigidly grim line, his eyes were worn with exhaustion, and the veins in his neck stood out.

"She's here," he murmured to Klaus.

Klaus straightened. He would rather Caroline not be around for what would happen next, but he would just have to do his best to keep her out of harm's way. "Shall we, then?"

* * *

><p>Alex had tried everything. Every. Thing. But Kol's compellation was unbreakable, unpreventable. She could not physically move past any barrier that was not considered part of this room.<p>

Even worse, she soon discovered that this was _Damon's_ room.

Ugh.

Now, as the realization of her utter inescapable prison settled in, she paced back in forth in the center of the room. A flurry of thoughts plagued her mind: Why would Kol do this to her? What was the point? She could have just found James and left—she _needed_ to find James. So why do this? Maybe it was out of some strange need to repay her for all he had done—Alex wasn't sure. It was _Kol_ for God's sake. Could anyone know his true motives?

She let out a sigh of frustration, barely restraining the urge to pull her hair out. Forgive him, her ass. She would _never_ forget this.

Her heart suddenly surged with pain: Kol said that his mother would attempt to kill him tonight. Oh God, why? Why would all of this happen now? How could she even do it? They were indestructible—other than the white oak. But it was gone…

She dug her heels into the carpet as she paced. Think of something, Alex. Think. How could she find James and Kol in time? She had no clue where either might be. And who knew if James hadn't already turned himself? It would make sense—why come to a party full of vampires and _then_ turn? Would Kol find him, like he'd said?

Oh God.

Her breath hitched in her throat when the door opened suddenly.

It was Ester.

"Alex," she said, smiling. "How convenient."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I know that some of you despise the fact that I do use my other plotlines for this story (i.e. Caroline or Elena or Damon) but please understand that it's very, very important for my progress. I've tried to shorten the length of them because I understand that you're here mainly to read about Kol/Alex. However, I think it's important to show that not only those two are affected by what's occurring between them—everyone is.**


	17. Chapter 17

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Vampire Diaries.**

* * *

><p><strong>SEVENTEEN<strong>

Katherine gave her signature smirk, her lips twisting up wickedly and a dark gleam in her eyes. "Just think about it, 'Lena."

Elena was frowning out the car window. Tiny fluffs of snow had begun falling from the sky, a sprinkle cottony snowflakes lazily making their way to the ground. She hadn't realized it had gotten so cold out. It seemed a lot of things were slipping her mind lately.

"I don't understand," Elena said. "Why not just give me over to Esther? What could Elijah possibly want with me?"

"Other than the fact that he's a man?"

Elena didn't find this as amusing as Katherine.

"Look," Katherine's tone lowered as she grew serious. The steering wheel of her sports car was grasped in her long, confident fingers while the road flew beneath their feet. "Elijah and I aren't exactly the small-talk type. He didn't tell me and I didn't ask."

Elena glanced over at Katherine. It was still so strange to be near her doppelganger; she wondered how others saw them when they were together. Did they really look that similar? Or did their personalities individualize them enough? She recognized her features—her dark brown eyes, the fair color of their skin, the rich color of their hair—but Katherine's cold, indifferent expression was so alien to Elena.

"Why are you doing this?" Elena asked suddenly. "Why not give me to Esther so she could destroy the Originals completely? You wouldn't have to be afraid of him anymore."

"Yeah and I would die _with_ him. Do you really think I don't know about that little detail?" Katherine arched a perfect eyebrow, her eyes glinting with irritation.

"But it's more than that, isn't it?"

Katherine's mouth pinched into a thin line. She was good at clearing her face of expression; but that was Elena's face, too. She could see right through the feigned indifference.

Elena's mouth dropped open; she could feel the moment when the pieces clicked together in her head. "You… You still have feelings for him."

Katherine glowered but said nothing to rebut the accusation. Her eyes found their way back to the road ahead of them, alit only by the headlights, while the darkness gathered sinisterly in their wake.

* * *

><p>Ester's eyes reflected her true age like a blue lake on a summer's day; it was so painfully clear that she was not from this century, that she was alien to the time she was borrowing. Those eyes stared at Alex curiously as she slid into the room and closed the door behind her.<p>

A moment of silence hung between the two women.

"You're assuming I'm here to hurt you," Ester stated simply, reading the thoughts from Alex's mind in a bland tone. "Do my children really paint such an ugly picture of me?"

Alex tried not to squirm under the weight of the witch's gaze. She thought very carefully about her next words. This was not Kol she was speaking to. This woman was a monster; she had no well of hope within her, like Alex knew Kol did.

She swallowed, hard and loud.

"I remember the words you said to Kol that night," Alex said bravely, referring to the Lockwood party just the previous week. "They didn't have to paint anything for me. I see you for what you are."

Ester seemed to nod, but it was such a miniscule movement that Alex wasn't sure. "You think I was so harsh to him out of hate. You think I do not love my children."

Alex decided it was wise to say nothing.

Ester stepped further into the room, taking great care to give Alex a wide berth. Unlike her children, she seemed to have some sense of personal space. "You're very wrong." When the witch looked up, her eyes were sad; deep. "My children are everything to me. That is the one thing in a thousand years that hasn't changed." She ran her fingers over a dresser, an odd expression overcoming her face. Something about the way the Original witch moved, the way she regarded things, reminded Alex of Elijah and his very reserved, almost reverent, demeanor. "That is why I fought so hard to return."

"You came back to kill them," Alex said, a burning flare of anger in her chest. "Kol already told me."

A sad smile came onto Esther's lips. "Ah, Kol. He was always the hardest to please of all of them. I'm not surprised he hates me as he does."

Alex felt the strange need to defend Kol. She remembered where her hatred for Esther came from; what the origin of _Kol's_ hatred for her was. Alex knew all too well what it was like for a parent to abandon a child. She was familiar with the loneliness, the insecurity, the incessant nag that she wasn't good enough for her father to stick around. Suddenly, the flame in her heart raged into a fire. Alex's tongue was lashing and hot. "_You_ made him hate you. You did the worst thing a parent could do—you _abandoned _him. You _gave up_ on him. You think you're better than the rest of them because you think they're monsters—but what are you? Look at what _you_ did—not them, but _you_. You're the reason behind all of this. Everything. Who do you think you are, coming back here, drudging up every single horrible thing you did to them? Trying to kill them?" Alex sucked in a shaky breath, never once breaking eye contact with the powerful witch, her lips screwed into a loathing scowl. "You were better to them dead and gone."

Ester was completely taken aback by Alex's rant. In truth, she had hardly expected such a burst of passion from the seemingly frail girl.

Remaining composed, Ester stared at Alex a moment longer. She weighed her options. There wasn't much more time to waste. It was time to put the final plan into action.

"I'm sorry you feel that way," she said. There was something deliberate, yet scarily casual, about her tone. "I'm sure you won't understand why I feel the need to do this, then."

Alex heard nothing more. A swell of something heavy, thick in the air enveloped her—magic, she managed to think—before her eyes rolled into the back of her head, and she fell sickly and limply to the floor.

* * *

><p>Finn's forehead smoothed with relief when he caught up to Kol.<p>

"Brother," he said, sounding strangely out of breath. "Did you find what you were looking for?" Finn knew better than to say the Heart girl's name, especially with how paranoid Kol was. However, the answer he received was oddly vague.

Kol grunted a distracted yes. His thoughts were still with Alex, but his attention was turned to searching for their mother. She should have been here by now. The sooner he could get this over with, the sooner he could return to Alex and release her from the compellation.

"Then perhaps you could help me a moment?"

Kol finally stopped and gave his elder brother his undivided attention. "What's happened?" His tone was higher than usual, spiked by panic and dread.

"I lost track of Elijah over a half hour ago. I can't find him anywhere." Finn was obviously out of sorts over this; of all the siblings, he was the most detail-oriented. If one thing was amiss, the whole plan was askew to him.

Kol rolled his eyes. "We have these things called cell phones now, dear Finn." He dangled his own in front of Finn's face. "You don't even have to be a witch to use one."

Finn barely restrained a glare. "I'm aware," he said tersely. "And either Elijah doesn't know _how_ to use one, or he simply isn't answering."

This caught Kol's attention. "Did you speak to Klaus?" He tried very hard not to hiss his half-brother's name. "He's more of Elijah's keeper than I."

"I have tried, Kol. No one has seen him."

Kol just shrugged. "He probably found Katerina, and they're likely 'reacquainting' themselves." He gave Finn a boyish, wicked smile. "You missed one hell of a century, brother."

Klaus slid up to them, just then. There was a maniacal shimmer in his eyes, per usual. "I just saw Mother."

"Where?" Finn asked.

Klaus's eyes turned towards the entranceway. "Leaving. Just… leaving."

"That's absurd," Finn exclaimed. "Her plan specifically involved this party. If she's leaving…" Finn trailed off as the puzzle clicked into place. His lips parted. He met his brothers' eyes; they were each thinking the same. "Then she already did what she planned."

As if on some mutual agreement, each vampire rushed, with super-speed, to the nearest exit, testing their ability to escape the confines of the house. Finding themselves outside and unrestricted, they looked to each other grimly.

"If not a containment spell-"Finn started, but was quickly cut off by a pale-faced Kol.

Kol's skin was white as moonlight. His eyes returned to the house, focused on the general area he had deposited Alex in. "Alex," he said. Not another word fell from his lips before he was gone.

* * *

><p>Katherine pulled the sports car off the road in one smooth, quick turn. There was nothing around for miles; only fields of barren and dying grass stretched out on all sides of them, encircled by a dense forest.<p>

Elena tugged at her sweater anxiously, "Why are we stopping?"

Katherine didn't grace her with a reply. Instead, the vampire shoved open the car door and embraced the cool, icy air. Elena, realizing that she was being ignored, joined her mirror image outside. She shook fiercely and tried vainly to disguise the chattering of her teeth.

The pair stood in silence a moment. A puff of white air escaped from Elena's lips at each exhale; it was disturbing to see nothing emit from Katherine's.

"Does he know how you feel about him?" Elena tried, daring to glance at her twin.

Almost immediately, Katherine's smooth features screwed into a bitter scowl. "Contrary to what you may believe, Elena, some people are better off without the things you base your entire life around."

Elena's eyebrows were high. "You mean love?"

"If you want to call it that," Katherine spoke unkindly.

Elena could not easily hide her unhappiness at the vampire's presumptions. "Then what would you call it? Because I seem to remember that, once upon a time, you were in love, too." She boldly eyed Katherine. "And still are."

Katherine's rage could not be quelled. Like a fire fueled by gasoline, she rounded on Elena, a hiss emitting from her lips. "I'm doing you a favor right now, Elena. Do not make me change my mind."

The blinding flash of car headlights saved Elena from responding. Katherine's face returned to its usual indifferent demeanor as she eyed the car rolling towards them; however, the clenched fists at her sides hinted that the vampire was nervous. The car had soon pulled up beside Katherine's sports car; the driver flicked off the engine, returning them to darkness and moonlight.

Elijah stepped out of the car. Nothing was said for a moment; the Original and the female vampire shared a gaze for the most fleeting second. Katherine was the first to look away.

"I brought her," Katherine said. "Am I pardoned?"

Not a flicker of emotion betrayed Elijah's thoughts. "Not yet."

Katherine's anger rekindled. "We had a deal, Elijah. Aren't you a man of your word?"

A hint of exasperation reached Elijah's eyes. "You're arguing with me?"

Katherine's mouth pinched shut. She turned away from him, scowling off at the forest.

Elijah's eyes slid from Katherine to Elena. A cold, curling feeling crept up Elena's spine. However, as she had many a time before, she met the Original's eyes with confidence and borrowed bravery.

"What is it you want with me?"

"A mutual agreement," Elijah said coolly. "It would be better for everyone involved if you disappeared for a few days."

"Everyone involved in what?"

Elijah had opened his mouth to reply when the deafening, piercing bang sounded through the air. Elena was not prepared; she watched as some tiny, indistinguishable object bit through the air and punctured Elijah right over the heart. The Original had no time to react; he wobbled on his feet before plumping to the ground, sounding sickly and disturbing. Not a second later did the same noise resound through the forest; Elena turned to find Katherine lying dead beside her, her skin quickly graying, the life draining from her face.

She stood, completely still, waiting for a third bullet to claim her.

It never came.

Instead, the brush behind her began to rustle; twigs snapped and crunched beneath a pair of feet.

James Heart stepped out of the forest. There was a rifle in his hands and a maniacal, wild glint to his deep green eyes.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Kind of a short chapter but we are nearing the end of this fic. It seems I am always apologizing for how long I take to update, but really my schedule has finally cleared up, since I just presented my Senior Project the other day. **

**I am planning on a sequel, I think. Especially if this goes how I want it to. The sequel, mind you, would be full of Kol/Alex angst/romance/arguments/lemons/drama. I'm thinking it could be even better than this one, and I have a great plot bunny that would work well with centering it on their 'relationship'. **

**Please review you guys. If I write a sequel, it'll be because of those who give me some feedback. **


	18. Chapter 18

**Disclaimer: I do not own TVD.**

* * *

><p><strong>Eighteen<strong>

Kol broke through the door blocking his path, sending splinters of confettied wood soaring into the room. His mouth formed the name _Alex_, but his lips couldn't speak it; he was frozen as an alien feeling of worry descended on him, soaked him icily to the bone in its unforgiving grasp.

The room was empty. Utterly, completely empty.

_No_.

Galvanized, his rage and worry condensed inside him. He moved forward, intent to cause destruction, to free some of this anxiety; to lose this strange, weighty feeling of ache over his heart. Before he could do much of anything, Finn appeared before him, eyes seeking and fearful.

"Kol?" Finn tried to rest his hand on his youngest brother's shoulder. Kol, however, edged stiffly away. "Kol, what is it?"

Kol's teeth had gritted together almost painfully. He spared his brother a seething look. "Alex."

Finn pressed his lips together in understanding. He glanced around the bedroom, unease painted on his face. "What would Mother want with her?"

Kol paced as he silently fumed. His fists clenched and unclenched. He wanted to kill something. He wanted so very much to tear something's throat out, to ignore this worry altogether and return to the days when everything had been _simpler_. But he was too far gone for that now. He had been affected by Alex and there was no going back.

"What do you think, Finn?" Kol replied caustically to his brother. His face was a pinch of anger, of hatred and murderous lust.

Finn was very still. He had known all along that Alex was Kol's weakness. He had seen it even in the beginning. And now Kol saw it as well—Kol knew very plainly that Alex would be his undoing. Alex was the leverage their mother needed against Kol. But why start the final strike against only one of her children? Why something so specific and personal to one, not to all?

Finn was afraid to discover the answer.

* * *

><p>A deep throbbing exploded in the center of Alex's skull. One moment, she was weightless and dreamy; she had slipped into a place where her father had never abandoned her, her brother was safe and sound, and Kol Mikaelson was just a normal, human boy she could fall in love with.<p>

But then reality shattered that dreamscape and Alex returned to the icy place that awaited her.

"Careful," a soft, familiar voice beckoned beside her. "Your head's gonna hurt for a while."

Alex's stomach dropped the way it might've if she were on a rollercoaster. No… Not that voice… Not him…

She opened her eyes to find Matt staring down at her tenderly, his blue eyes a steely gray color in the dimness.

"Mattie?"

Matt winced at his nickname; it was the very one Vicki called him; the one Alex had adopted, before Vick's death. She had stopped using it so long ago. It took him back to their younger years—back when he and Alex would pester Vickie and all her boyfriends.

"Yeah," he spoke softly. "It's me."

Alex tried to push into a sitting position. Her whole body ached; it felt as if she had fallen asleep with her limbs all skewed about. Her hand brushed something grainy and itchy beneath her.

Hay. There was hay scattered all over the floor.

Alex's eyes drifted over her surroundings; she took in the massive wooden beams overhead, the moonlight trickling down through a cutout beneath the crown of the roof, the musty old air that kicked up here and there and circulated lazily around her. The smell was heavy; a smell of fertilizer, grains, farm animals, and nature.

There was a muffled cough behind Alex. She spun around, eyes wide and alert. Her heart nearly stopped beating.

"Caroline?"

The beautiful blonde smiled weakly at Alex. She looked meek and tired, surrounded by pockets of darkness, with bits of hay caught in her hair and tears in her dress.

Alex grew momentarily light-headed. Her vision spotted and shifted; a cloud of blackness seeped in before fading slowly back into the depths of her mind.

"Oh God," Alex murmured, the heel of her palm pressing into her chest. "Oh _God_."

Kol had mentioned Esther's big plans to finally kill the Original family. Tonight. And it was all going down already. Caroline and Matt… They'd gotten dragged into it.

_Oh God_.

A spasm of pain tore through her heart. James—where was James? Had Kol managed to find him, like he said he would? Would Kol be all right? Or did his mother already find him?

Alex struggled to catch her breath. The world kept spinning beneath her feet, but she was stuck in her realizations and sinking fast into despair.

* * *

><p>Kol's fist flinched painfully as the urge to tear open the eldest Salvatore's chest cavity pestered him. <em>There is no other choice<em>, he reminded himself. His fingers were pinched together at the collar of Damon's dress shirt whilst he dragged him—literally—from the party downstairs and threw him unceremoniously into the room empty of Alex.

"We need to have words, you and I," Kol gritted, clenching his fists tightly at his sides.

Damon caught himself gracefully before hitting the floor. He made a show of tugging at and loosening his already loosened tie as he leered at the Original, hate and loathing plain on his dark features. He opened his mouth to retort when his eyes landed behind Kol. "What the fuck?" He stormed over to the splinters of what had once been a very heavy, very pricy, and very antique door. He glowered at Kol, almost petulantly, with a huff of annoyance. "What, Klaus offed you before they invented _door handles?_"

"Alex has been taken," Kol deadpanned, his mouth taut and grim as his eyes seemed to darken at his words. "My mother is planning her final move tonight."

Damon paused, absorbing the words quickly. He settled his expression into one of boredom. "So?"

Kol grit his teeth together. "So I'm aware of your soft spot for her," he said, his tone borderline accusing, threatening.

Again, Damon looked bored. He quirked a dark eyebrow. "Do you have a point? Because there's a bottle of Jack downstairs that's calling my name and, in case you hadn't noticed, this is a party."

Patience was not something Kol had much practice in. He willed himself to breathe, to channel his anger and annoyance at this pesky vampire into his search for Alex. "You will help me," Kol said, articulating each word individually, "or I will entertain my sister's hatred for the doppelganger. And trust me, Rebekah has a very twisted imagination."

Damon's mask fell, and a deep, dark pit of fear hollowed in his stomach.

* * *

><p>A flash of lightning pulled Alex's gaze up to the gable of the roof, where she could see the thick clouds overhead tumble through the sky. A storm was coming; the electricity in the air hinted that it wasn't natural, either. Someone was brewing magic. A lot of it.<p>

Minutes ago, Alex rose to her feet and began searching for a way out of the enormous barn. She hadn't been searching long when she came across an unlocked door and pulled it open; though she had been met with an invisible barrier, repelling any movement that tried to cross the doorway.

"We can't leave," Matt had told her. "We're spelled to stay in here."

Shortly after, Alex had grown increasingly restless. She was barraged by Kol's words, the warning of his mother's dark plans, the promise to locate her brother and get him to safety. A dreadful seed of despair had been planted in her soul and cultivated with time's passing.

A few more minutes ticked by before she realized that they had other company with them. Aside from Matt and Caroline, there was another figure looming further away from them, colored in shadows and nearly hidden from sight. A few steps towards the figure revealed a red-haired woman bound by shackles—which appeared to be vervain, given that a gradual steam was rising from her wrists and ankles. She lay unconscious, her head drooped on her chest; it did not rise with breath.

If the inhabitants of the barn were spelled to remain inside it, why would this vampire be shackled?

Alex didn't want to discover the answer.

"Does anyone know where we are?" she finally asked the other two, her head canted towards them as she tried to gather her strength. What would James want her to do? He'd want her to escape—to find a way out of this. To be strong.

She would try.

"We're not far out of town," Matt said, scratching the back of his head. "I was mostly conscious for the car ride here."

"No, not far," Ester agreed, stepping into the barn through the door Alex had inspected. The witch perused her captives thoughtfully, pausing a second longer on Alex and sending a chill through the girl's body. "I needed to stay in Mystic Falls in order for my children to find us."

Alex stilled; Ester wanted the others to find them? Dark, twisted scenarios of what Ester's plan may be played through Alex's mind. There was no telling what the thousand-year old witch had up her sleeve.

"Yes," Ester answered Alex's unvoiced question, edging further into the room. Moonlight fell on her and she looked like some felled goddess, some ethereal creature hiding in a human's body, like a demon who had found itself a host. "I am counting on my son's attachment to you in order to bring about his downfall. The demise of all my children." She did not smile as she spoke. She was not triumphant, nor wickedly pleased. Instead, an eerie sadness emanated from the witch, a thick and heavy emotion that permeated the damp air. Alex discovered the elder woman was mourning a loss she incurred long ago.

"You don't want to do this," Alex grasped at the straw. "I can _see_ it. They're your children, and in your own—albeit strange—way, you love them. You don't _want_ to do this."

Ester did not blink. She did not sway or falter. She was very simple and detached in her answer: "But I must."

A spark bit in the air; a current of pure magic, feeling as if a thousand matches had been lit and brought aflame. Ester could see the hairs rise on Alex's arms.

"Miss Bennett," she answered the tacit question hanging in the air, nodding back towards the door, "you'll find, has been utterly complacent. She's crafting the spell as we speak."

_Bonnie?_ The name rose in Alex's mind with a flurry of confusion and hurt. When she glanced, instinctively, towards Matt, she watched a mirror emotion paint his features. Caroline, however, was white as a ghost.

"No," the blonde vampire said, a mere stutter. "No—you're lying." She stared at Ester as if she could see through her flesh and bone, into her soul and her truths and lies. She blinked, though, as if unhappy with what she found. "No," she repeated, the doubt heavy in her tone. "She wouldn't help you."

But even Caroline sounded unconvinced.

There was no time for a reply. The door to the barn swung open, revealing a heart-stopping sight.

At first, joy erupted in Alex's chest—joy, relief, trust. James Heart stood in the doorway; her brother, her savior, her caretaker for the past several years. He was safe. He didn't even look harmed.

But then a cold, dawning feeling crept along her spine when she really _looked_ at him.

There he was, her brother, with a rifle strapped over his shoulder and, his hand clamped around Elena Gilbert's arm. He looked nothing like simple, news-writer James with the bored expression and boyish looks. No, instead he seemed replaced, an alien thing of grimness and stiffness. His posture was rigid, his jaw squared. Even further out of character, he gave the Gilbert girl a rough, unkind shove. As she breached the enchanted barrier, a flash of pink-green magic shimmered in the air, molding way for her body. It closed once she stumbled in, trapping her.

James could walk through without being affected.

"I brought her," James said. "Just as you asked."

Ester nodded. "And Elijah?"

"In the trunk of my car. Should be awake soon enough."

"Katerina?"

"Dead."

_Dead. _ The cold, inflectionless tone made Alex sick to her stomach. Oh god—what had happened to him?

Ester was not bothered. "A necessary sacrifice. She wouldn't have lived through the night, anyhow."

Alex stood there, in the center of the barn, her limbs heavy as deadweight and her heart even heavier. James didn't seem to notice her until then; when he did, there was no moment of shock, no pause or disbelief. He had expected this. He had been aware of Ester's plans this whole time.

He would not save her from whatever fate she had waiting.

The realization came over her like the cold crash of a wave; it rocked into her body, jolted her mind, and flurried everything she had been steadfast about not five minutes ago. Her whole world had been caught up in the tide and skewed, thrown about, and obliterated.

Her brother would not come to her rescue, but instead, was working with the very person who would bring about her end.

* * *

><p>Kol stood still and glanced around. A very irate Damon Salvatore was at his side, scowling at the back of the Original's head, wishing dreadful things on him. The two thick-headed immortals had argued for a good five minutes, throwing accusations and derivative comments at one another until they came to an agreement: Damon would help Kol find Alex, and Kol, in return, would keep an ear out for Klaus's next plan for Elena.<p>

The tiniest, most miniscule well of shame stirred in Damon. Kol had a good point (was that even possible?): he owed Alex. He would never admit it to the Original, but it was his imprudent plan that got Alex into much deeper waters with the immortal family. And if he were being completely honest with himself, which was a rather pesky thing, honestly, he would admit that he _did_ have a soft spot for Alex. She was just so… goddamn _likeable_.

There was a pause before Kol moved forward again, seeming to have located what he was searching for. Damon found himself uncomfortable between Kol and Finn, the presence of the very different brothers nearly smothering. What was it with this family?

Finn eyed Damon suspiciously, though spoke solely to Kol. "Help, I presume?"

"Yes," Kol answered tersely. "Where's Niklaus run off to?"

"He muttered something about Caroline. Hasn't returned since."

Kol grew annoyed; he flounced it away with a turn of his heel, his steps leading him towards the door. "Then we'll go without him. We haven't the time to wait."

Finn had grown restless, as well. A sliver of worry had pricked him—small as a flea, though just as vexing. Perhaps all the siblings had an interweaved notion of intuition; perhaps it was nothing at all, but the stress of the situation plaguing his mind with doubts and fears. Whatever the trouble may be, there was trouble indeed.

The three vampires were passing through the door when the slim figure of Doctor Meredith Fell came upon them, her expression twisted into fear as she trod up the porch.

She skipped Kol and Finn, going straight to Damon. "Alaric," she managed, her eyes skimming their surroundings. "Is he here?"

Damon's eyebrows puckered. "Haven't seen him."

Meredith's big doe eyes finally stopped on Damon, wide and afraid. "He changed again. He—his _other self_ said something about James. He's going after James. Right now."

Damon frowned. "James has been missing."

Kol clucked his tongue impatiently, as if to remind Damon of his presence. "As well as Alex," he grit.

There was a lingering pause in the air, a moment between dawning realization and dread during which Meredith's mouth dried up. She glanced between Kol and Damon, the connecting dots visible in her eyes, slow though present. "Alex is gone, too? Matt was supposed to come over… But he never showed. Elena wasn't home when I went to check on her." She saw Damon stiffen. "I just—I just assumed they were together…"

Finn was the one who put it all together. Elena… an interest to the Salvatores, as well as a possible interest to Elijah. Caroline—Klaus's center of affection. Matt and Rebekah's timid romance. Alex and Kol… And for Finn, it was his alliance with his siblings.

"It's not just you, Kol," Finn said very slowly, worry lines appearing on his face. "It's all of us. She's doing it to all of us."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Please don't be too upset with me! I'm so sorry for the wait! But I hope all is good and well because I have updated now and I am still very much planning to end this and follow up with a sequel. Please do review though, because each and every word from you guys is cherished and keeps me on track. **

**Were you expecting this?**


	19. Chapter 19

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Vampire Diaries.**

* * *

><p><strong>Nineteen<strong>

A lot of things did not appeal to Alaric Saltzman. He was not particular by nature, truly; it was only until recently—his move to Mystic Falls and subsequent history gained in the small town—that he had become withdrawn and wary of his surroundings. Of people and places. It was manageable when his only responsibility was to himself; he hadn't held himself in high esteem, anyway. Now with Elena and Jeremy in the picture, he barely had the time to even think selfish thoughts. The constant need to be aware of everything was a burden to the man with a slight alcoholic problem and an extreme lack of sleep.

One can imagine why the numbing freeness that accompanied Dark Alaric would almost be a welcome change.

Almost.

This was the thought crossing his mind when Dark Alaric pushed his way into consciousness and hijacked the sleep deprived man.

Now, in his vehicle with a handgun and numerous stakes on the passenger seat, Dark Alaric scowled. He really didn't understand his counterpart's excessive compassion for the creatures of this town. But he supposed it didn't really matter. There was a strange notion in his mind—the oddest sense of knowing something without _truly_ knowing it, like dreaming within a dream—leading him to his target. So no, it really wouldn't matter after this night, anyway.

They would all burn in Hell.

* * *

><p>A creeping coldness in Alex's heart began to numb her from the inside out. It was the product of a dawning realization that everything she had thought she'd known had been split apart. Things had changed so rapidly: Kol was the good guy, James was the bad guy.<p>

This was the very stark, detached conclusion she came to not five minutes after witnessing her brother's betrayal. It was an easy thing to conclude, for all she wished for at that moment was Kol; Kol was the answer, the savior, the solace. Wasn't he?

Her thoughts were dashed away immediately.

"Bonnie's out there," Elena was saying slowly, almost bewilderedly, as she stared off into the dark corner. "She's with Ester. Her mom, too."

Caroline hugged her arms to her chest. "She's trying to help us," she argued weakly. "She must be."

Elena's eyes hesitantly met the blonde's, a look of despair clouding brown iris. The two girls' shared a mutual look: Bonnie had been lost to them months ago—even at the time Caroline had turned. Was it really so far-fetched to discover she was working with the enemy?

"Never mind that," Matt spoke up. "We have bigger things to worry about." He nodded his head towards the red-haired vampire shackled to the wall across the barn.

Elena's eyebrows puckered. "A vampire?"

"You don't know her?" It was Alex, finally, having found her voice. "I thought someone would." Questioning eyes fell on Alex, prompting her to elaborate. "I mean—this whole thing with Ester seems so personal. I feel like every little detail is deliberate."

Caroline looked at the shackled vampire with grim thoughtfulness. "Maybe we aren't the ones who're supposed to know her."

Silence fell around them. Those who weren't gazing at the redhead with fearful curiosity were frowning at the floor. Finally, Matt said, "I think it's time we talked about it."

"About what?" Alex asked.

He looked her square in the eyes. Fear was present, as well as sorrow, but the most dominating expression in his crystal blue eyes was acceptance. It was a look Alex had seen on few. It was the very look her father had worn after her mother's passing. Dread curled its bony fingers in her stomach as she anticipated his next words.

"That thing we promised each other after Vick passed. If one of us… didn't make it."

What followed was an awful, awful silence.

* * *

><p>"I will <em>not<em> calm down." Kol hissed, stepping abruptly away from Finn's reassuring hand as if it were a slimy tentacle. "Do not berate me, brother. You know the consequences of mother's actions as well as I."

"I also know that it takes very powerful magic for the spell mother intends to use," Finn said, following his brother's footsteps away from the porch. "She'll need a specific place to devise the enchantment. We can locate her, I believe."

Kol turned hard to face his eldest brother, his eyes squinting in the search for trickery. "And you weren't informed of this place already? You know nothing of mother's plans?"

"You still think I would betray you?"

"I have no reason to think otherwise," Kol said simply.

"You are my brother, Kol," Finn said. The age lines on his face, of which he had incurred before his transformation into vampire, deepened with his obvious woe. "Maybe it's difficult for you to remember the bond of family as much as I do. To me, only a hundred years has passed—for I have spent nine hundred tucked away in a coffin, only to wake up in this strange place with the sense that no time has passed at all. But I suppose the lifetimes you've lived have faded your memories. Don't you remember us as boys?"

As if cued by Finn's words, a floodgate opened up in Kol's mind and released a slew of memories. Learning to climb trees from Finn… Catching his first rabbit because Finn had taught him how to hunt… All the memories Kol had of his eldest brother were paternal in their notions. Finn had taken the role as father among them all when Mikael had proven too hateful, too immersed in his own matters to care.

Still, Kol scowled. "What I learned from all my lifetimes is that the past hardly matters and familiar ties turn from rope to thread. What I want is your word, brother. You will do everything in your power to help me?"

Finn was grave. "I swear it."

For the first time in hundreds of years, Kol felt a sense of relief bloom in his chest. And for a moment—just a moment—he was happy he would face his problems with his big brother by his side.

* * *

><p>Damon paced. After Meredith fetched Stefan, the youngest Salvatore joined in.<p>

A cell phone was pressed to Damon's ear; it rang once before going to voicemail once more. In a fit of frustration, Damon threw it to the ground.

"Rick isn't answering," he said curtly, catching the irate attention of Kol, who had been feverishly interrogating Meredith.

"Then try again," Kol ordered. "He tried killing Alex once. He's involved in this."

"Probably," Stefan agreed, always the cool and collected voice of reason. "But it's likely he's already switched to his… other self. He won't answer."

"No," Damon said, "but we have another way of finding him." He turned to Stefan, stiff. "We need Jeremy."

"Jeremy?"

"He's good with computers. We're going to track Rick."

Stefan seemed to disagree. "Rick probably thought of that, Damon. He took the battery out of his cell—it went straight to voicemail."

"Yeah," Damon said; his tone was one of grim success. "Which is why I put a tracker in his boot with the help of clever little Gilbert."

* * *

><p>Kol had been the one to fetch Jeremy. He had listened raptly to the Salvatores' argue back and forth about the young human's involvement, but hardly cared. If it would help him find Alex, it didn't matter who was caught in the crossfire.<p>

Truly, the idea of Kol fetching the youngest Gilbert was absurd. He had quite blatantly lost his trust after befriending the boy in Colorado only to reveal his true intentions. And it was clear, when young Jeremy looked at him from across a pool table at the Grille, that he had not forgotten that little incident. Still, Kol grabbed him by the elbow, swiftly filled him in on the night's happenings, and escorted him, however willingly or unwillingly, back to the Salvatore mansion.

"You know how to do this, right?" Damon now asked, a shred of doubt wrapped around his tone as he placed a laptop computer in front of the human.

"Yeah, yeah," Jeremy brushed his concern away. He was instantly absorbed with the lit up screen, which would have nicked a well of curiosity in Kol, had the circumstances been different. Kol was accustomed to the Xbox, but hardly knew his way around this sort of technology.

His thoughts, however, were only on Alex and what he would do to his mother should anything happen to the girl. A month ago, it would have been shameful to feel so strongly about a human girl's safety. _Falling for a human is the first sign of weakness_, he once told Rebekah. But the strength and fortitude of _his_ human had changed everything. It changed his beliefs into doubts, his doubts into beliefs.

He would never be the same.

"Got it," Jeremy said, much to Kol's relief. Jeremy squinted at his computer and leaned closer; a pucker of confusion brought his eyebrows together. "Wait—huh?"

"What is it?" Damon, too, leaned forward and read the screen.

From where he stood, Kol could make out a satellite map with a big red blinking dot in the center. He recognized Mystic Falls. He recognized the place. How could he ever forget?

It was Meredith who spoke up. "That's—that's my family's land." She blinked in bafflement. "That's my father's farm."

"Just north of here," Kol continued in a murmur, his thoughts racing ahead of him. Alex. Alex was in danger.

There was no time to waste.

Before there was the chance for an explanation, Kol sped off into the forest, leaving a lash of wind in his wake.

* * *

><p>Finn taught Kol a lot in just a few short years. Although Finn was not the most renowned hunter of all the brothers, he was the most patient and sly. And where Finn retained patience and a cool, contained logic, Kol had manifested into something quite the opposite. Growing up as the youngest of three boys—before Henrick's birth—caused him to be slightly more reckless than his elder siblings. Call it the need to impress or to measure up to the high standards his brothers set for him—it didn't matter. The product was the same: Kol was more heartless, more devious, and a much better liar than the rest. But when Henrick came around… Everything changed. Kol was now a big brother to not one, but <em>two<em>, siblings. He was responsible for them.

So Kol walked silently in the underbrush of the forest—having learned how to walk unnoticed even when fall's dead leaves littered the ground—using the moonlight as his only guide. He had heard Niklaus and Henrick chatter about watching the werewolves' transformation, and had left the safety of the caves in order to follow his brothers. He knew why he hadn't been invited—Niklaus thought he was too brash, too bold to do any sort of sneaking about. But Niklaus was wrong.

There, up ahead, Kol saw two silhouettes, one small and thin, and the other tall and broad. He watched as his brothers slithered through the forest and made their way back towards the village, where the clan was known to morph. He followed, ever-silent as he did.

To say he was following out of sheer concern for his baby brother would be only half-accurate. It was true that Kol was also the most jealous brother—he had not been invited along, which was an offense he took personally. He followed with a mixture of wariness and excitement humming through his veins.

The moon had pulled itself into the sky well over an hour ago. A wise but rare bit of prudence in Kol pondered this; could the werewolves have morphed already? Did he miss the transformation?

It never even occurred to him that they might be lurking in the woods already.

Kol glided past the old willow tree he and Henrick would climb during the warm seasons, brushing his hand on its bark as he did. One step after the next remained soundless, unheard; like a wolf as it stalked its prey.

The young boy paused; Henrick and Klaus had come to a halt just before the forest ended and a meadow took over. Kol watched, a grin plastered on his face, as they crouched down and peered out.

He rushed ahead to join them, eager to surprise and impress his brothers with his stealth. How jealous Niklaus—the mighty, all-knowing hunter—would be when he found that his skills weren't as honed as he imagined.

But in Kol's haste to reach his brothers, he stepped on a small branch—small enough to not be a bother, should nothing have followed. And maybe he could have slipped away with that, unnoticed—maybe it would have sounded like another animal wandering the floor—but then the birds overhead flew from their branches, kicking up a ruckus as they fled.

It was a simple mistake, but it was costly.

A snarl tore through the air. Kol's stomach clenched with fear; the werewolves—_they knew._

By the time he reached Niklaus, Henrick was already dead.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: It's been a long time since I updated, but I'm graduating high school in just three weeks so I've been busy! (-: This is too short to make up for it… But when Kol and Alex see each other in the next chapter, it'll be worth it. By the way, we are approaching the end of this story, but as promised there will be a sequel. Please review and give me some feedback! What you want to see? What you **_**don't**_** want to see? The good, the bad, the ugly!**


	20. Chapter 20

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Vampire Diaries. **

**A/N: I know this is so short you guys, and I'm really sorry. But I'll be spending five hours on a train tomorrow morning so I can probably get the next chapter done. I promised WhisperedxNothings that I'd get this to you before my trip!**

* * *

><p><strong>Twenty<strong>

"No no no," Alex stammered, shaking her head with such force that she thought it would spin clear off her head. "Matt _no_. You can't think like that."

Matt gave her a soft, pitying gaze; it was a look that belonged to a much older, much wiser man. Perhaps that was why it broke Alex's heart. "I'm just trying to be rational, Alex." He glanced at the chained vampire across the barn, who had started to shudder with consciousness just moments ago. "I'm just… scared."

The confession was like a dagger through Alex's chest. For the first time since being kidnapped, she blinked and really _looked_ at Matt.

He wasn't dressed to attend the Salvatore party, but rather was in his casual tee and jeans. There were tears in the cloth as if he'd put up a great fight before succumbing to his captor. Blood trickled from a gash at his temple and stained his cheek all the way to his neck… But it wasn't this state of ruin that made Alex's stomach clench. It was the look of defeat in his once strong blue gaze. It was the very human and very helpless slump in his shoulders that Matt had somehow managed to outrun since the beginning of this crazy mess.

He finally surrendered to it.

"Matt." Alex's voice broke as she sobbed his name. When had everything gotten so out of hand? When did she stop realizing that her best friend had needed her all along, when she thought it was the other way around? "I'm so sorry. I'm so, so sorry."

The quarterback slipped his mighty hand into her delicate one—though it didn't seem so mighty anymore—and gave her a soft, sad smile. "You have nothing to be sorry for."

At that moment, the side door of the barn crashed open again with enough force to shake the rafters above. James stumbled through, dragging an unconscious, well-dressed man behind him as if he was nothing more than a burden to be carried.

Elijah.

Alex gasped to see the typically daunting Original in such a state of duress. The sight wedged a sliver of doubt into her thoughts, which blossomed into an all-consuming worry: Was Kol okay? Had he fallen to the same fate as his brother?

Ester, too, appeared in the doorway, and took in the sight of her dead-undead son with indifferent eyes.

"He's waking?" She asked James.

"Yeah." James tossed Elijah in the dirt. The vampire's nose twitched, but he was otherwise incapacitated. "I thought you said the vamp chick would wake first?"

Ester didn't appear to find James's slang very appealing, but nodded. "She will. It's nearly midnight. The Bennett witches are preparing for the rest of my children to arrive." She moved to return outside, but James stopped her.

"And what about our deal?"

A pregnant pause filled the air as the captives in the room stared on in silence. Ester turned, very slowly and very deliberately, to fix her gaze once more on James. There was something about the gleam in her eyes that made Alex's stomach squirm; as much as she hated her brother in that moment, she feared for him.

"Yes, our deal," Ester said, as if she could have forgotten. Her dark, knowing eyes sought out Alex. "I promised you that no harm would come to your sister, should tonight's events unfold as planned." She gave a cold smile to James. "So far, yes, I will honor that."

James narrowed his eyes, but nodded. "Then what's next?"

Alex watched the pair leave, her eyes wide and mind reeling.

So was James trying to protect her? Or was it all an act?

She squeezed Matt's hand and huddled closer to him, fearful of the answer.

* * *

><p>Alaric glided into the field with light, airy steps. That was one of the considerable differences between Good and Bad Alaric: Good was burdened by the weight of helplessness, Bad was free to act.<p>

And it felt great.

A bonfire raged between the Bennett witches; their eyes were closed, their mouths working some sort of magic that seemed to permeate the air and draw dark clouds over the sky. Alaric sensed a shift in the wind—their power was growing by the second.

And the closer to midnight it was, the closer he'd be to ridding the world of the undead.

Ester and James Heart stepped out from the barn. The centuries-old witch walked with the sort of regal posture a queen might have, whilst the young writer behind her just shambled.

Alaric smiled at them.

"Mr. Saltzman," Ester greeted. "I was beginning to think you wouldn't join us."

The smile turned to a leer. "This is something I'd like to see."

"Of course."

He eyed James; there was a coldness in Alaric's gaze that was _otherly_. It didn't belong to him. It didn't belong to a _human_.

And yet it persisted.

"What about our deal?" he asked with a bit of casualness, but there was a sharp edge in his tone that caught James's attention. They both turned to Ester, one in confusion, the other in waiting.

Ester, too, glanced at James. She seemed almost… sad. "It remains," was all she said, before striding away.

Alaric grinned and pulled out his gun.

It was in that terrible moment that James put it together. "Wait—"

A _bang_ breached the air and echoed through the valley. James Heart stumbled backwards into the rough wood of the barn, choking for air as he slid to the ground. An angry red trail of blood stained the wood in his wake.

His eyes were round in shock; his hands came up, instinctively, to cradle his wound. Wet, hot liquid burned his hands—he stared down in shock at the gaping hole in his chest.

Ester watched from beside the fire.

"But—"James's voice was stifled by the blood rising in his throat, choking him. "We—had a—deal."

"And I do wish I could spare your sister," Ester said, in a voice that suggested her words were genuine. "But I'm afraid I wouldn't achieve what I came for if I did."

With that, thoughts of James's impending death seemed to have fled her mind as she turned to the witches and made her preparations.

Alaric, however, wasn't so quick to dismiss. He crouched down before the eldest Heart sibling, expression blank. "I warned you. You should have left it alone."

Then he, too, walked away, and left a young man to choke on his own blood.

* * *

><p>"What was that?" Elena asked in a shrill voice. "Was that a gunshot?"<p>

All eyes turned to the only one with vampiric hearing for affirmation. Caroline was staring at the door of the barn; her lips were parted, her eyes filled with tears. They shook her, and she did not respond.

"Oh my God," she whispered, at long last. "Oh my _God!" _Her teary gaze flew to Alex, and nothing else was said, because the red-headed vampire behind them was stirring.

* * *

><p>The spidery shadows of the forest lurched past Kol in a pinwheel of greys. Every now and then, the moonlight would splash across his face, sending him back to the time he had lurked in these very woods and followed his brothers to their family's doom.<p>

It _would not_ happen again. He wouldn't allow it.

He would save Alex. He would do what he didn't have the power to do before.

Twigs and branches gave out under his footfalls, despite the speed with which he traveled. Never before had he pushed himself to such a limit—his form moved so swiftly that tears gathered in his eyes against the unforgiving wind and air did not even reach his long-dead lungs.

Regardless of the time that passed, Kol's memory was as sharp as ever. He navigated the far-gone trails with ease one only had with practice; and though the trees were mightier and the air was rancorous from the stains of human advancement, the stars above were quite the same. It wasn't long before he spilled forth unto a valley, within which a small plot of farmland laid below, fenced and bordered by red-wooded barns. He dashed downhill until his feet were level once more; his eyes were crazed, his teeth clenched and barred.

Put simply, Kol was primed to kill.

Then a gunshot pierced the air and he could no longer restrain the monster within him.

* * *

><p>There wasn't time for anyone to register the devastation on Caroline's face, nor the way she looked at Alex in a ravage of despair. Perhaps if a second or two had drawn out further, the notion of wrongness could have struck and settled.<p>

Alas, time was a tricky thing.

A low moan slipped from the lips of the awakening vampire in shackles. All eyes flew to her—wide and fearful—as she canted her head. Flame-colored hair tumbled around her face; even in a condition such as hers, she was extravagantly beautiful and held a certain timelessness about her.

Alex gathered all this by the way she moved, for no detail slipped past her in her moment of terror.

It registered with her a moment later that someone was tugging at her hand. She looked to see Matt on his feet, hesitation clear in his every step, as he edged towards the wall furthest from the vampire.

The four of them had to step over Elijah on their way.

"Is it just me or does anyone else get a particularly murderous vibe from that chick?" Caroline asked aloud as they cowered. "Like, _really_ murderous."

"Ester said she'd wake at midnight," Matt said, tightening his grip on Alex. He shielded her with his body, as if that could stop a however-old vampire from tearing through him. "So I'd assume she's been compelled to be pretty murderous."

Elena's eyes kept flicking to Elijah. "We need to wake him up."

"And ask him to do what, exactly? Protect the people he's screwed over how many times so we can kill his mother?" Underneath the fear, bitterness laced Matt's voice.

"He'll help us," Elena said, unwavering conviction lighting her eyes. "I know it."

She didn't wait for any sort of agreement. The Original was a mere six feet away from them; she crossed the short space and crouched by his side, tentatively cupping his face in her hands.

"Elijah," she pleaded. "Wake up. Come on, you need to wake up."

Alex shook her head in hysteria as Elena continued her pleadings. She turned to Matt and grabbed both of his hands, sucking in deep breaths and calming herself.

They wouldn't die. Kol wouldn't let them die.

It was strange how she suddenly believed this with such faith that her shudders turned to mere trembles.

No one heard the barn door open again. No one saw James dragging himself across the dirty ground until a bubble of blood dripped from his mouth as he choked aloud.

Alex's eyes landed on him, paralyzing her in fear.

* * *

><p><strong>So much is happening right now, but I hope you're enjoying it! And look forward to a steamy sequel once I complete this fic!<strong>

**Please review! What do you think about James? Did you see that coming? Do you think he genuinely was looking out for Alex this whole time?**


End file.
